119km Berekum-Sampa Road to begin as Asenso-Boakye breaks ground for start of work

The Minister in charge of Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has cut sod for the commencement of the Berekum-Sampa Road in the Bono Region.

At a short ceremony held at Jinjini in the Berekum West Constituency in the Bono Region, the minister introduced the construction firm by name, RANGO Construction Lt., to nananom and the people of the area as he announced the beginning of work on the project.

The road is to be rehabilitated at an estimated cost of GH¢125 million, into an asphaltic overlay under the following scope of work: scarification of existing failed bituminous surface, reconstruction of some sections, construction of u-drains, patching of potholes, laying of base course, and asphaltic overlay.

All these will take place on the road known as the Sunyani-Nsoatre-Dumasua-Berekum-Fetentaa-Botokrom-Babianiha-Japekrom-Drobo-Dwenem-Mpuasu-Adamsu-Asare-Seketia-Amanfoso-Morle-Suma Ahenkro-Sampa Road.

Assuring the people of the region of timely and quality work within twenty-four (24) months, the sector minister called on the communities to assist the contractor in the best possible ways to ensure the completion of work for the benefit of the country.

The minister also called on the communities to take advantage of the project by availing themselves for the various job opportunities accompanying the project.

He intimated “This construction is one that is a major project and very dear to the heart of the Government, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and so, we are here today to officially announce for the commencement of work in a few days.

“Bono is typically the bread basket of our country and so, this thick asphaltic overlay works would facilitate farming activities to boost the agricultural sector and the economy of the country."

He singled out the Member of Parliament and parliamentary candidate for the are, Kwaku Agyenim-Boateng, popularly known as Agoogo, as a hardworking MP who has been very instrumental to the realization of the project.

He, therefore, called on the people of Brekum West to rally behind him and the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, since the region cannot afford to stall the work by voting against them in the upcoming elections.

He also appealed to the other constituencies who are also beneficiaries of the project, including Jaman South and Jaman North, to rally behind their parliamentary candidates to give the NPP the strength it needs to work from parliament to assist the Bawumia-led government in 2025 to champion the desired development of the people.

Responding to the good news, Nana Asare Baffour II, Chief of Jinijini, who doubles as the Akyempem Hene of the Berekum Traditional Council, expressed the satisfaction of the people with the Akufo-Addo-led government.

The chief made a profound statement that the Akufo-Addo-led NPP has outperformed any other government since independence in the areas of education, agriculture, health, and roads.

Touching on agriculture, the revered chief described the government’s flagship Planting for Food and Jobs as a novelty that has helped the people in the region immensely.

He added that the subsidies provided on farm inputs by the government in phase 1 of the project have transformed a lot of lives in the region.

He also explained that the Planting for Export and Rural Development by the government has also ensured the free distribution of millions of cashew seedlings to the area because the farmers there are predominantly into cashew production.

He again underscored that when the government announced the Agenda 111 hospitals across the country, they thought it was going to be difficult, yet the government has demonstrated once again that it is capable, hence, Jinijini as a district is also a beneficiary and the progress of work is beyond description.

He then touched on the impact of the government’s Free SHS policy for senior high and TVET schools, saying he has yet to see any government since independence that has invested so much as the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has done to train the next generation.

Speaking at the same venue, the Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe Abronye, reminded the people in the region of the need to jealously protect the NPP government by cataloguing several roads done in the region by the government, including the Dormaa town roads, Berekum town roads, ongoing Sunyani East and West town roads, Berekum to Sunyani Nsaagobesa Road, etc, including the groundbreaking 119 kilometres Sunyani-Sampa Road, which is to commence in the coming days.

Present at the occasion also were the Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene, other parliamentary candidates such as Col Rt Kwadwo Damoah of Jaman North, Enock Nyarkoh of Jaman South, Municipal and District Chief Executives, constituency chairman and other executives.

The presence of the Nana Yeboah Kyere Darteh, Nsaporhene, who is also the Acting President of the Berekum Traditional Council, was equally noted and appreciated.

From there, Francis Asenso-Boakye inspected some roads at Sunyani West, the Wenchi constituencies, with the assurance of attending to them in the coming days.