Kumasi Interchange project suffers delay

The lack of political will on the part of the authorities at the Kumasi Department of Urban Roads to order the demolition of a chain of cold stores at the Asafo Interchange in Kumasi has been identified as one of the main reasons that have brought the project to an indefensible standstill.

The Statesman has learnt that initial drawings for the project included the demolition of the cold stores some of which are situated in the right way of the Asafo Interchange. Due to interference from the owners of the cold stores, some of whom are said to be having a lot of influence, several variations have been done to the project causing a two-year delay in completion time.

The contractor working on the project, SARROCH GELFI, has been demanding payments for extra works done due to the variations, but the consultant for the project. HAG Consult, is not co-operating with the contractors.

This situation has compelled the contractor to demand the master plan of the project from the consultant. When it was not forthcoming, the contractor refused to work for close to a month now.

When The Statesman visited the site on Monday, only a few workers were found loitering around the project site at Asafo. One worker who pleaded anonymity told this reporter that the contractors have not visited the site for a very long time. He said some of the workers only came to the project site daily with the hope that the contractors may show up for work to continue.

Meanwhile, huge holes created at the project site close to the former roundabout are posing a threat to motorists and pedestrians. The giant holes have been filled with water from the recent downpour in the metropolis, and only a couple of warning signs have been erected to warn drivers and pedestrians alike.

The traffic situation in the Kumasi metropolis has worsened as a result of the delay in the completion of the project, but as the situation remained now, there was no end in sight to the traffic congestion.

It would be recalled that the Asafo Interchange project has suffered several disruptions and not even a visit by the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama to the project site to intervene in the stoppage of work, has yielded any positive results.