Mahama roads just 1% of Kufuor's - Darko-Mensah

As far as road constructions are concerned, President John Dramani Mahama and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) have achieved only one per cent of what former President John Kufuor did for the sector, Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has said.

There is a current debate between the NDC and the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) over road constructions in the country.

It began when NPP flag bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, said roads in the Western Region were in terrible shape despite claims by President Mahama and the government that massive road works had been undertaken in that part of the country.

Mr Mahama retorted by saying Nana Akufo-Addo might have been sleeping during his tour of the region, thus, his inability to have seen the developed road infrastructure. Mr Mahama’s response prompted a press conference by the NPP addressed by acting General Secretary John Boadu, who accused the government of lying about its road projects.

However, Roads and Highways Minister Inusah Fuseini told Class News in an interview that the NDC has never lied about its achievements in the road sector. He described the development of road infrastructure in the Western Region and across the country as ‘unprecedented’ and ‘Phenomenal’.

But Mr Darko-Mensah, who is also the Deputy Ranking member of the Roads and Transport committee of Parliament, told Class News that the road infrastructure under the current administration constitutes just one per cent of roads constructed in the erstwhile Kufour government.

“I strongly believe that first and foremost the Minister’s statement that the president’s statement that road infrastructure development under the Mills-Mahama administration is unprecedented is not true. I was thinking the minister will back his words with figures. In fact, President Mahama has only achieved one per cent of what is expected of him. 99 per cent of work has not been done,” he told Class News.

“…The minister is talking about asphalt overlays in Sekondi Takoradi, when you do asphalt, after 15 years you are supposed to overlay them and that is not the cost, the cost of real road infrastructure is rebuilding roads and under President Kufuor, we did over 8,000km of new road constructions… when it comes to expansion of network you’ve done just 3,772km president Kufuor did 55,000km; these are documents available at the Ministry,” the Takoradi lawmaker added.