Portions of Accra-Kumasi highway to be dualized

More than 45 kilometers of the Kumasi-Accra highway is being dualized to improve travelling time, as well as help reduce accidents in the corridor.

The project is being financed at a cost of 1.9 billion Cedis through Government of Ghana sources and is being executed by indigenous construction firms.

These came to the fore during an inspection tour of the project sites by the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah.

More than 45 kilometres of the more than 270-kilometer Kumasi-Accra highway, which forms part Ghana’s central road corridor is being dualized.

The entire project, which has By-passes, has been demarcated into four Lots and being executed by eight local companies. Each Lot has two of the construction firms working on each of the dual carriageways with the aim of encouraging efficiency, cost-effectiveness and timely delivery.

From the Kumasi direction, the first Lot, known as the Konongo By-Pass, involves kilometres from Ohene Nkwanta to Yawkwei, construction which began in August last year, is to be completed within 36 months.

Even after the construction of the Kumasi-Accra highway, the Konongo township continues to experience heavy vehicular congestion, especially on the main market days thereby causing serious vehicular and human movement difficulties.

During an inspection tour of the project sites by the Minister for Roads and Highways, Akwasi Amoakoa-Atta, the Project Manager and Engineers at the Ministry to familiarize with the progress of work, it came to light that, one major challenge being encountered by the contractor is larger swampy areas compared with the initial projection.

According to the Engineer of Kofi Job Construction Limited, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, the project would be delivered if government sustains its current financial commitment.

The Minister and his engineers inspected also progress of work on the three other Lots. These include the Anyinam By-Pass with a project duration of 24 months from June 2023 when actual work began. They Minister was also at the Asiakwa-Bunso-Osino By-Pass being jointly built by First Sky Limited and Justmo Construction Company Limited.

This Lot involves the construction of a number of Overpasses and major concrete bridges over some water bodies including Supon and is to be delivered in 30 months. It came to the attention of the Roads and Highways that; the contractors are now being confronted with a small scale mining site within the right of way requiring the intervention of the Minister.

The Minister directed officers at the Ghana Highway Authority, which is the Supervising Agency, to establish the status of the mining firm whether it is operating legitimately or illegally for the needed responses to be provided to facilitate the construction.

Speaking to journalists, Kwasi Amoako-Attah explained that, dualization of the Kumasi-Accra highway is part of a bigger vision of the government to dualized all trunk roads in the country not only to ease traveling difficulties for motorists and commuters but also to help reduce road accidents.

The Minister disclosed that the entire project is estimated at 1.9 billion Ghana Cedis from Government of Ghana sources. The four Lots are at different stages of execution.