The Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta has cut sod to commence the construction of Nsien town roads in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region.
The total length of road to be covered is 4.5km of asphaltic overlay.
The GHC20 million road infrastructure forms part of government's efforts to improve road networks in the country and also to make the various principal streets attractive.
This is as a result of the pledge the Roads and Highways Minister made during a sod-cutting ceremony of the Axim township roads last year at Axim Victoria Park.
The 4.5km Nsien roads will be constructed by InterGlobal Partners Construction Limited and supervised by the Department of Urban Roads.
It is expected to be completed in some 18 months, with the contractor assuring the Roads and Highways Minister of the prompt execution of the project.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony as part of his tour to the Municipality on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at Nsien Durbar Park, the Roads Minister, Mr. Amoako Atta expressed his profound appreciation to the good people of Nzema East Municipality for their overwhelming support.
He also thanked the Member of Parliament of the area, Mrs. Catherine Afeku for ensuring that government fulfil its mandate towards this project and charged the people to rally behind her.
He added that the NPP government is committed to the development of the people of Nzema East Municipality and therefore urged them to embrace the project and support the contractor to complete the work on schedule.
The Minister charged the contractor to ensure that quality work was done to ensure value for money adding that the President, Nana Akufo-Addo would not shield contractors who do shoddy work.
He reaffirmed "We will do quality works for the people and I call on this contractor to be God-fearing and honest with the people to do quality work and I want to state it here that the NPP government will not spare any contractor who will do shoddy work on our roads, such contractor will be punished".
Mr. Amoako Atta bemoaned that the Western Region happens to be the food basket of the nation but was crestfallen that the Region was bedeviled with poor road network and assured the people that "the time to tackle the roads is now".
He admonished contractors in Ghana to listen to advice from traditional rulers on how best to structure the roads adding that he together with Directors at the Urban Roads department would monitor progress of work to ensure that quality work is done and completed on time.
He, therefore, seized the occasion to charged the traditional rulers to deal with anybody who will be caught in stealing of materials belonging to the contractor.
"Please Awulea deal with anybody who will steal some of the cements of the contractor and I will also urge the Religious Leaders here to support the Traditional Council to deal with any thief", he opined.
The Paramount Chief of Nsein Traditional Council, Awulae Agyevi Kwame II, who was the chairman for the sod-cutting ceremony thanked the Akufo-Addo-led government for honouring its promise.
He promised to assist the contractor to complete the project on schedule.
He appealed to the contractor to employ some of the youth in the area to assist in the construction work.
The Paramount Chief also urged the youth who will be engaged by the contractor to work hard and eshew any form of laziness and theft.
Speaking to GhanaWeb Correspondent after the sod-cutting ceremony, the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Catherine Afeku thanked President Akufo-Addo for listening to their calls to construct the Nsein township roads
She revealed that since 1957 no government has developed the area than the NPP government and that the project when completed will face-lift the image of the late Paa Grant who was the founder of UGCC/UP traditions.
Mrs. Afeku used the opportunity to reassure the good people of the Nzema East Municipality that, the Akufo-Addo led government is keen on infrastructural development which will lead to economic and social development as well.
"The projects we are currently undertaking in the Nzema East Municipality are just a tip of the iceberg, there are more projects intended to be started and completed soon within the Municipality. This is a sign that, the Akufo-Addo led administration is more of an action and vision driven one than some other administrations we have witnessed in the past", she opined.
She seized the opportunity to express her profound appreciation to President Akufo-Addo for the support given to her Constituents.
Hon Catherine Afeku who has been named Yaa Asantewa of Nzemaland, therefore, entreated all Ghanaians to unite and continue to support His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo for the great work he is doing for this lovely nation.
"Let us rally behind President Akufo-Addo and his government and also pray hard for President Akufo-Addo for wisdom and long life and develop our area", she pleaded.
On his part, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area, Mr. Frank Okpenyen admitted that the spate of development springing up in the municipality in the last two and half years was unprecedented.
He pledged to continue to team up with the MP to redouble their efforts to accelerate development and boost the local economy.
He revealed that the Minister for Transport is expected to commission the state-of-the-art ultra-modern office complex for the Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and a private vehicle testing center at Ayisakro on July 22, 2019.
He also revealed that the President of the Republic, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to be at Axim on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 to cut sod for the construction of Axim Landing Beach.
He, therefore, seized the opportunity to highlight some of the projects the Akufo-Addo-led government is doing in the area; construction of ultra-modern sports complex at Axim, construction of Axim township roads, construction of Axim Sea Defence Wall, construction of Gwira roads among others.
The colourful ceremony brought the scores of people from the three Constituencies within the Nzemaland and other places to grace it and ended in a peaceful manner.
The Minister for Roads and Highways was accompanied by some staff of the Ministry, Western Regional Minister, Hon. Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Kwabena Owusu Aduomi Hon. Catherine Afeku, National Highway Authority CEO, Western Regional Acting CEO of Highway Authority, the media among others.