Little Fund Available for Road Maintenance

THE OUT-GOING Minister of Roads and Highways, Honourable Agyei Darko, has pointed out that there is no adequate road fund for construction and maintenance of roads.

Hon. Adjei Darko said this at a one-day seminar held at Sunyani at the Eusbeth Hotel.

The fund available to the nation is limited and constrained to the extent that demand of the people though important could not be readily met", he disclosed.

He said contribution to the fund in December 2000 was very poor, however, the necessary measures must be adopted to generate fund to build a motorable road for good transportation.

He said despite the relentless effort made by the government to construct better roads, the fund available could cater for 60% of the nation's road network leaving a large financing gap of 40%.

The minister noted that this situation has become more critical when one considered the number of roads damaged this year due to the heavy rains.

He pointed out that immediate attention would be given to the damaged roads by reshaping, spot improvement and in some cases reconstruction of the broken bridges and culverts to make the roads motorable and safe for transportation.

Adjei Darko categorically stated that the Ministry of Roads and Highways is expected to pay out ?360.9 billion for the routine and periodic maintenance of the road network including emergency roadworks, which were caused by the rains.

On his part, the Deputy Regional Minister of Brong Ahafo, Hon. Yaw Adjei Duffuor, said the roads are the most expensive to maintain.

He, however, urged the ministry to do whatever it could to maintain the roads so that food could be transported to needy places.

Duffuor noted that the government is solemnly going to rely on the funds which are generated from levy on fuel vehicle licensing fees, road user fees and tolls to rehabilitate roads in the country.

He advised fund collectors and monies collected from road users render proper account on each construction.