Eastern corridor roads to be ready by 2016 – Minister

The Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Inusah Fusseini, MP, has posited that by 2016, the Eastern Corridor Roads would be ready to help improve the economy of the country and the surrounding towns.

The Minister told The Republic Newspaper in an interview in Tamale, that those roads are very dear to the heart of President John Dramani Mahama and for that matter behooves on him to deliver.

Alhaji Fusseini explained that work is seriously on-going, except two portions of this Eastern Corridor Roads - the lots II and IV, which are facing some financial challenges because the NDC government is, exclusively, funding the projects.

These portions (roads) include Asikuma-Ave and Oti-Damango-Nkwanta.

He further pointed out that these two portions (lots) were supposed to be done under the China Exi-bank facility, which the government withdrew from, after it was able to take delivery of about $1.5 billion from the China Exi-bank.

This he said has affected the aforementioned two lots; which the NDC government is making efforts to ensure work starts on those portions.

“But that notwithstanding, work is progressing steadily on portions of the eastern corridor roads”, optimistic minister told this reporter; adding that about 86 per cent is completed.

He said, in some portions, the project has been split between two contractors who are working on the project to be completed between 18 and 24 months respectively.

He reiterated that all these efforts are to ease the burden of long travelling hours from the south to the north and beyond.

This statement the minister made during this year’s National Sanitation Day.

The Minister and MP urged the residence to always keep their surroundings clean to keep mosquitoes away from infecting people with malaria and to as well prevent a cholera outbreak as a result of dirt.

The Member of Parliament (MP) and Road Minister expressed worries about the poor sanitation situation in some parts of his constituency.

He said, “people throw rubbish anywhere, defecate in polythene bags and dump them behind people’s houses or throw them onto the roof of buildings”.

“They do this without being able to make the connections between preventable diseases that come about as a result of poor sanitation and their attitudes/habits”, added the worried MP.

He congratulated all who poured out in their numbers to take part in the clean-up exercise.

Alhaji Inusah Fusseini posited that any outbreak of disease does not discriminate, it attacks everybody regardless of one’s political colour.

“With togetherness we can keep our surroundings clean and free of pandemics or any outbreaks”, he assured.