Akufo-Addo releases GHS2.2bn for road contractors

The Akufo-Addo government has released GHS2.2 billion through the Ministry of Finance for onward payment of debts owed road contractors

“The good news does not end here”, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said on Monday, 21 October 2019 when he cut the sod for the construction of the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange located on the Obetsebi-Lamptey roundabout.

“The Ministry of Finance has released GHS2.2 billion to the Ministry of Roads and Highways for payment for works done by road contractors across the country”, the President announced, adding: “This will improve the cash flow of our contractors, and ensure that those who had left their construction sites return to complete their projects”.

The President, thus, directed the Ministry of Roads and Highways to monitor closely the performance of every contractor engaged by the government, and also instructed the ministry not to hesitate to terminate the contracts of non-performing contractors.

The construction of the Interchange, according to President Akufo-Addo, will help address the congestion being faced by commuters at the Obetsebi-Lamptey roundabout and will help improve mobility on the Ring Road corridor.

With the Obetsebi-Lamptey Circle recording a peak hour traffic volume of approximately eight thousand (8,000) vehicles per hour, with a Level of Service (LOS) of F at peak periods, the President stated that the government has decided to construct a three-tier interchange at the Obetsebi-Lamptey Circle, to address the situation.

“The ground level will have a re-modelled roundabout, while the second tier will be an east-to-west flyover linking the Graphic Road to the Kaneshie-Mallam road. The third tier will be a north-south flyover on the Ring Road West, which will link the Ring Road from the Royal Chapel Church to the Central Mosque at Abossey Okai,” he said.

He continued: “Critical drainage structures that go through the roundabout will be upgraded under this project. This is necessary to reduce the incidence of flooding at the roundabout.”

The construction of the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange will be in two phases. Phase 1 will consist of the construction of the east-west flyover and other related works, while Phase 2 will involve the construction of the third-tier flyover on the Ring Road West.

The Interchange will improve mobility on the western parts of the Ring Road, and help improve travel times to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and improve access to Abossey Okai spare parts area and to businesses along the Graphic Road and the Kaneshie-Mallam Highway.

With the construction of the Interchange to be undertaken by M/S Queiroz Galvao-UK International as a design and build contract, President Akufo-Addo urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to pay attention to the Employer’s requirements, which are clearly spelt out in the contract, and ensure that the contractor works to realise them.

This, he explained, is necessary to guarantee value-for-money for the investment the government is making.

The President urged the contractor should put in place the necessary traffic management measures to minimise any inconveniences the construction works will bring to commuters and pedestrians.

“Funding for this project has been secured, amounting to $135 million, made possible by Export Credit Facilities from the United Kingdom and Spain, for which we are appreciative,” President Akufo-Addo said.

Other road projects

The construction of the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange, the President said, is part of a number of actions being undertaken by the government to improve urban mobility within the western parts of Accra.

The following road projects in Accra are progressing steadily: dualisation of the ‘School Junction Road’ in Adjiriganor, which is 95% complete; construction of the Dome-Taifa Road, which is 60% complete; construction of the LEKMA Road, with one of the two carriageways expected to be completed by the end of the year; and construction of concrete roads in Tema, also 50% complete. These works are being undertaken within the Tema Industrial enclave, and are expected to be completed by March 2020.

The others include works on Phase 1 of the Tema Motorway Interchange, which is 60% complete, and scheduled for completion by June 2020; and construction works on the first four-tier interchange at Pokuase, which are expected to be completed by October 2020.

Some of the other ongoing road works throughout the country include the Kumasi Road and Drainage Extension Project, involving the dualisation of the Lake Road and lining of the Sissai River Drain in Kumasi. The Project is 35% complete, and should significantly reduce flooding within Atonsu and the neighbouring communities in Kumasi; and the construction of the first interchange in the northern parts of our country, i.e. the Tamale Interchange, which is progressing steadily.