Gov’t invites private sector to fund road projects

Government has invited the private sector to assist in financing the construction of road projects through the public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

This has become necessary because government is finding it increasingly difficult to fund these projects alone.

Mr Isaac Agyei Mensah, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, said private investments were urgently needed to build and maintain the roads.

He was speaking at the “Government for the people forum (G4P)” held in Kumasi.

The forum, the first in a series to be held across the country, was meant to showcase the Mahama Administration’s development achievements.

Mr Agyei Mensah said roads such as the Accra-Kumasi and Accra-Cape Coast Highways, and the Tema Motorway, have been earmarked for the PPP initiative.

He said they had worked hard to improve some roads in all parts of the country, despite the severe economic challenges.

There is,however,much to be done and that is why private sector involvement is important.

Mr A.Osei Kofi,Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, announced that over 260 million dollars had been spent on various water projects, to provide about 1.8 million people in the Ashanti Region with potable water.

These, he said, included the Asante-Mampong, Kumawu, Agona, Konongo and Kumasi water projects.

He said the vision is to increase national water coverage from the current 63 per cent to 76 per cent by 2016, adding that, 100 per cent coverage is targeted for 2050.

Mr Samuel Sarpong, Ashanti Regional Minister, said about 477 projects designed to improve sanitation, had been completed in the region.