Gov't sourcing funds to tackle major roads in the North

Wa, July 16, GNA - The Government is sourcing funds from the African Development Bank (ADB) for the tarring of three major roads in the Northern and Upper West regions.

Mr Kofi Boama-Djan, Director of Planning of the Ghana Highway Authority announced this at a public forum on the social and economic viability, engineering and technical feasibility of the Wa-Han and Lawra-Han-Tumu roads at Wa on Tuesday.

He said the roads measuring 341 kilometres in all also included the Fufulso-Sawla road in the Northern Region. The forum afforded the public the opportunity to study the report on feasibility studies on the roads and to offer suggestions before the project consultants - Associated Consultants Limited, began detailed engineering designs.

Mr Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister expressed regret that 46 years after independence, the region had only 160 kilometres of paved roads out of a total length of 995 kilometres of roads in the region.

He said five kilometres each of the Wa-Dorimon, Nadowli-Lawra, Wa-Hamile and Hamile and Nandom town roads would be upgraded, while a dual carriageway from the SSNIT Flats to the Wa Police Roundabout would also be constructed this year.

The Regional Minister urged the consultants to step up their supervision to ensure "value for money" as they would be held responsible for any undue delay or shoddy work. Mr Yaw Opoku-Mensah, a representative of the consultants, said studies had proved that the projects were feasible. He said the project would provide job opportunities for the youth and open the area to tourists.