Eastern corridor roads to be completed before end of 2020 - Roads Minister assures

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Atta, has assured the Chiefs and people of the Volta Region that, by the end of the first term of the government of President Akufo-Addo, the entire stretch of the Eastern Corridor Road would have been completed.

Describing the Eastern Corridor Road as being of great importance, since it is the shortest route between the Southern sector and the Northern sector of the country, and is the linkage between 5 regions, i.e. Greater Accra, Eastern, Ashanti, Volta, and Upper East.

Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Atta was speaking at Hohoe, on Tuesday, 10th July, 2018, when he addressed Chiefs from South Dayi, North Dayi, Ho, Ho West, Kpando, Hohoe and Afadjato South, on day 2 of President Akufo-Addo’s 3-day tour of the Volta Region.

With seven (7) different contractors having been awarded different contracts on different sections of the road, the Roads Minister noted that the Eastern Corridor road has had a chequered history.

He explained that COCOBOD is funding the Have – Hohoe Lots 1&2 (51.3km), and Hohoe – Jasikan (32km) stretches of the road. These sections have run into difficulties, as payments by COCOBOD have been suspended.

The section from Dodo Pepesu to Nkwanta was funded by an EU loan of a little over 20 million euros, which was worked on by Djibril Kanazoe, the renowned Burkinabe contractor who gifted former President John Dramani Mahama a Ford Expedition vehicle.

“As I speak to you now, Togbe, Nananom, that road (Dodo Pepesu to Nkwanta) is in a very terrible, worse condition. The other sections, which are being worked on by other contractors, suffered delayed payments and were abandoned,” Hon. Amoako-Atta said.

He, nonetheless, assured that the government of President Akufo-Addo is working very hard to work on the entire Eastern Corridor stretch to make it motorable.

“We have, therefore, packaged the areas that have never been done. We have put those areas under a facility called Sinohydro facility, and these areas cover the areas of Have to Hohoe and from Oti-Damanko to Gbinitri (168km). All the others are being repackaged, and arrangements are being made to send all the 6 contractors back to work,” he assured.

Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Atta assured the Chiefs and people of the Volta Region that “from now onwards, you are going to see and witness for yourselves, a renewed effort that will be sustained to work on the Eastern Corridor.”

He continued, “It is the determination of His Excellency, the President, that by the end of the first term, the entire stretch of the Eastern Corridor will see the light of day, and I want to assure that it is receiving attention of government.”

Additionally, the Roads Minister indicated that his Ministry is also working on many of the roads in the Volta Region, with roads in the Hohoe township also receiving particular attention.

“I am happy to inform you that, within the Hohoe area, five (5) of your roads have been selected, and within the next 2 months, contractors are mobilising and will come to site. Togbe oo, Mava oo, please be assured that your roads are receiving the attention, just as any other roads in our country,” he added.