Work progressing steadily on some parts of the project
Residents and commuters who ply the Pokuase-Nsawam stretch of the Accra-Kumasi road may have to endure using the uncompleted road for a little longer, as work will not be completed on schedule.
The project has been hit with over 100 lawsuits in court over properties, compensations, and the relocation of utility lines.
The 33.4-kilometre project, which commenced on September 2, 2022, and was expected to be completed in July 2024, will have to be delayed because the contractor does not have full possession of the land for the construction to progress.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Times in an exclusive interview at the project site at Pokuase on Thursday, the Resident Engineer in charge of the rehabilitation works on the US$346.5 million Ofankor-Nsawam dual carriageway road project, Thomas David Arthur, and the Senior Project Manager, Abdulai Mahama, stated that the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), who are the clients, would be contacted for an extension of time.
Mr. Arthur explained that the ongoing project was 58.3 percent complete, adding that a section of the railway bridges had been completed, together with storm drains and footbridges.
He said the retaining walls and culverts, among others, have also been completed.
Mr. Arthur stressed the need for the contractor to have possession of the land to complete the remaining work on time, adding that the relocation of utilities such as electricity and water was 75 percent complete.
He said they were in contact with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Water Company Limited to relocate their pylons, transmission lines, and pipes to pave the way for the project.
Touching on the bad nature of that stretch, Mr. Arthur stated that the contractor had been carrying out regular maintenance works by putting fine soil material and gravel on them to aid commuters in their movement, but the material had been washed away by the rains.
Mr. Arthur observed that there are large potholes at different portions of the road that have been sealed to ensure comfort on the road and improve travel time.
To reduce dust on the road, Mr. Arthur stated that water from tankers was sprinkled on the roads regularly.
Mr. Mahama added that the court cases were delaying the demolishing of buildings, which had become an obstacle for the contractors, stating that the legal team was working on the cases.
In an interview with some commuters and drivers, they appealed to the contractors to expedite work on the project.
A driver, Kojo Asante, stated that they spent long hours in traffic on the road due to its bad nature.
"As drivers, we often visit the mechanic shops for repairs as a result of the nature of the road," he said.
Some commuters appealed to the contractors to constantly water the road to reduce dust on it.
The project is being executed by Maripoma Enterprise Limited (MEL), a Ghanaian-owned construction firm, with Associated Consultants Limited supervising the work.
It is being jointly funded by the Government of Ghana and MEL.
Upon completion, it would ease traffic on the Accra-Nsawam route and promote socio-economic activities along the stretch and beyond.
