Opinions of Thursday, 3 November 2022

Columnist: Anthony Obeng Afrane

Roads in the Central Region under Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama Former President John Dramani Mahama

Under former president John Dramani Mahama, work started and was completed on the Kasoa Interchange. The scope of works on the project is as follows: construction of three interchanges on the main Accra - Cape Coast Road at the following locations: main Kasoa traffic lights, Galilee/Iron City to link Iron City to Amanfrom (without U-turns on the main road), Universal/CP Junction to link Universal to the Opeikuma Area in Kasoa. Work started on the widening of the main Accra - Cape Coast Road between Iron City and Universal into a - 6 km three-lane dual carriageway with slip roads and ramps. Construction of Amasaman - Ashalaja - Oboom Road - a distance of 33 km into an asphaltic concrete road with a bridge across the River Densu to replace an old bailey bridge. This will provide an alternate road to Nsawam and the eastern parts of Accra. The same route will provide a convenient alternative for commuters to Kasoa from the eastern parts of Accra, Nsawam and beyond. The construction of 20km of roads within Kasoa and Ga South was necessary to provide critical access for communities within Amanfrom, Amanfrom Top, Galilea, Iron City, Tuba, Kasoa and Nyanyanor. These access roads will improve accessibility for the communities without coming onto the main Kasoa Road. Construction of a new two-storey polyclinic for Kasoa to replace an old one was started. This health facility will have an OPD, Doctors' Consulting Rooms, Pharmacy, an Intensive Care Unit, etc. There are more; construction of critical drainage systems and four 36-unit schools to help eliminate the shift system in schools within the Kasoa and Ga South communities. The provision of 10 mechanised boreholes for selected communities that have challenges with the GWCL distribution system was done. Besides, construction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) terminal in Kasoa was constructed. There are other works on roads in the Central Region that were done. These include upgrading works on roads in Dunkwa - on Offin, Winneba and Agona Swedru. Selected towns which benefitted from the asphalt overlay programme included Cape Coast, Dunkwa, Saltpond and Mankessim. The Kasoa by-pass, Mankessim-Abora Dunkwa, Dunkwa - Twifo Praso - Assin Fosu, Amanful - Nyarkrom - Nkum, Assin Nyakomase - Senchiem. Assin Twifo Praso road, Essiam Town roads and the Breman Asikuma Amanfo - pong roads are but a few that were ongoing to improve the road network in the region. Work was also progressing on the Ekwamoase - Ofabil, Sankor - Kweikrom - Ojobi - Akoti, Abowin - Nkodwo - Asem - Panyim, Duakwa - Akwakwaa (phase 1) and the 63.20 km Dominase - Subinso Roads. Impressively, the following feeder roads were completed: Bawjiase - Aponkyekura (6.9 km), Adawukwa - Adjator - Honi (3.45 km), Bawjiase - Ayensuako (5.3 km), Bawjiase - Amonkrom (Congo) - Tetteykura (3.25 km), Ahentia - Busumabra Junction - Kweikrom (9.4 km), Kwa Bondze - Larbie - Jeikrodua (3.65 km) and the Bontrase - Dasum (4.7 km). The Sankor - Kweikrom - Ojobi - Akoti road was completed. The Nkwanta - Mempesem, Jamra - Adandan, Ekwamoase - Ofabil, Camp - Adjoum and the Brofuyedur - Odoo Roads were improved as part of the Cocoa Roads Project.