Ghana has network off 32,000 feeder roads

Kwapong (B/A), May 5, GNA - The National Director of Feeder Roads, Mr. Martin Hmensa on Tuesday announced that a total network of classified feeder roads in Ghana is 32,600. He said in addition to the figure, are about 6,400-kilometre tracks that require major improvement.

Mr. Hmensa was speaking at the official sod-cutting ceremony for the bituminous surfacing of the Nobekaw-Sankore-Buako road at Kwapong in the Asunafo district of Brong-Ahafo Region


He explained that about 2,200 kilometres of private roads were maintained by timber, mining, rubber and palm plantation firms, adding that out of the 32,600 kilometres of the classified feeder roads, 21,000 kilometres had been provided with the required culverts, bridges and side drains.


The Feeder Roads Director said 1,120 kilometres of the engineered roads were tarred, representing about three per cent of the total network.


Mr. Hmensa mentioned 10,050 kilometres as the total length of feeder roads engineered, since January 2001, adding that, "The un-engineered feeder road network is about 11,700 kilometres". He pointed out that about five thousand bridges were required for installation adding that, 1,200 sites out of the number had been prioritised for construction.


He said his outfit was soliciting the support of the government and other development partners to install the bridges to remove the bottlenecks on the feeder roads in the country.

Mr. Hmensa assured the general public that, all stakeholders would be consulted in the selection and prioritisation of roads that would have the optimum impact on the rural people and support the realization of specific government objectives.


The Department had evolved cost-effective policies and strategies for guidance in the planning and implementation of projects with the support of the Ministry of Roads and Transport, he said.


Mr. Hmensa said inadequacy of capacity of consultants, local contractors and supply of quarry product in the system had contributed to the delay in the completion of some road projects in the country and expressed the hope that, developmental partners would support the


Ministry of Roads and Transport in addressing such problems. He further announced that the World Bank was assisting feeder roads improvement works with an estimated 30.30 million dollars in re-gravelling, spot improvement, rehabilitation and surface improvement.