Roads and Highways Minister cuts sod for 6km Axim-Nsein township road

The Axim and Nsein townships in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region are expected to benefit from a 6-kilometer major rehabilitation asphalt overlay.

The township roads project which is expected to be completed in the next twelve months, has been awarded to Messrs JUSTMOH company in Takoradi at the cost of GHc12 million.

The Victoria park in front of Fort Saint Anthonio where national programmes are mostly organized will also undergo beautification and modernization.

Additional roads apart from the mandated 6km roads will also be rehabilitated after the first phase of the project.

The Minster for Roads and Highways, Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta said this at a sod-cutting ceremony for the rehabilitation of Axim and Nsein township roads at the Victoria park in Axim as part of a two-day working tour of the Western Region.

He was accompanied by the MP for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Mr. George Mireku Duker, the Minister for Tourism and MP for Evaloe-Adjomoro Gwira, Madam Catherine Afeku some Directors at the Ministry and Urban Roads Department.

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.

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 directed the Director for Urban Roads to mount a survey of the Nsein Senior High School and adopt measures to asphalt the access roads on campus..

Mr. Amoako Atta added that the Omanhene's palace would be given a general face-lift before completion of the town roads.

The Minister said under President Akufo Addo, the Western Region will get her fair share of the national cake via quality roads to be able to contribute meaningfully to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Mr. Amoako Atta disclosed that about 45 kilometers of Gwira roads will be factored in the 2018/2019 budget proposal to pave way for the proper rehabilitation works on Gwira-Dwamenase road, Gwira-Aiyinasi road, Gwira-Banso road and Gwira-Bamiango road.

He admonished contractors 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 schedule.

Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Owusu Afriyie there was the urgent need to put roads in the Region under rehabilitation to open up the area to cocoa and other cash crops growing areas in the Region to contribute to the GDP.

He said priority must be given to roads more than hospitals in order to save more lives and spearhead the socio-economic growth of the nation.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Evaloe-Adjomoro Gwira, Madam Catherine Abelemah Afeku said election must inure to development to better the living conditions of the people.

She mentioned a sea-defence project,a sports stadium and the modernization of the Victoria park as some of the achievements she has chalked so far and asked the people to rally behind Nana Akufo Addo to continue with developmental projects in the area.

She appealed to the contractor to employ the some of the youth in the area to assist in the construction work.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nzema-East, Mr. Frank Okpenyen admitted that the spate of development springing up in the municipality in the last two years was unprecedented.

He would therefore continue to team up with the MP to redouble their efforts to accelerate development and boost the local economy.