Govt to adopt public/private partnership in road maintenance

The government is considering a public/private partnership arrangement in funding road maintenance and be more responsive to the rehabilitation of deplorable roads in the country.

The move followed 40 percent of road networks being unattended to annually due to insufficient funds.

In addition the fund, which is mandated to finance routine and periodic maintenance of roads in the country, carried forward an indebtedness of GH¢230.86 million from last year to this year.

Mr. Isaac Adjei-Mensah, the Deputy Minister of Roads and Highway, made this known at a forum organized by the Management of Ghana Road Fund in Takoradi.

He said the government would adopt Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement with private corporate entities in order to fast-track road maintenance and accelerate national development.

Currently, he said, the government needed between GH¢500 and GHc600 annually to sustain road maintenance programme in the country, however, it was running short of that amount hence the need for all the citizenry to support the fund by paying their road tolls, fees and fuel levies.

Mr Francis Dogbey, Acting Chief Director of the Ghana Highway Authority, said good road network would significantly reduce the cost of vehicle operations.

“When we have good road network the cost of vehicle operation will reduce three times and that will ensure efficiency and mobility of both human and vehicular traffic,” he said.

He urged utility companies to desist from cutting through roads to lay their cables underground since that practice often deteriorates conditions of roads in the country.

The Acting Regional Road Maintenance Engineer, Mr. John Owusu Duah, mentioned some roads that are being rehabilitated as Tarkwa Government Hospital road, Shama town roads, Sankor/Cape Three Points road, Bodi town roads, Sekondi/Takoradi arterial roads and Benchema/Osei-Kojokrom road.

He added that there were other routine maintenance of some feeder roads in some districts in the Region including Jomoro, Ellembelle, Mpohor and Wassa Amenfi.

The participants appealed to management of the Road Fund to ensure judicious use of the Fund.