Tema Motorway Interchange to open to traffic in November

The interchange currently under construction on the Tema Motorway is expected to be opened to traffic in November this year, instead of December, in order to reduce traffic congestion in the area.

This is also to enable the contractors working on the “Project for the Improvement of the Tema Motorway Roundabout Phase II” to work on sections of the road currently being used by motorists.

The Assistant Resident Supervisor of the project, Mr. Yaw Tenkorang Osei, disclosed this on Wednesday during a site visit by officials from the Japanese Embassy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

He said the earlier opening of the overpass follows a request made by the Minister of Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso-Boakye, the Ghana Highway Authority, consultants, and contractors.

“We plan to open the bridge to the public in November as requested by the Minister, the Ghana Highway Authority, consultants, and contractors. We are working to meet this target, although the final completion of the project, as per the contract, is set for December,” he said.

The “Project for the Improvement of the Tema Motorway Roundabout Phase II,” funded by a Japanese grant of $27 million, was initiated to address traffic congestion at the five-legged Tema intersection where traffic from Accra and Tema Port converges during peak hours.

Commenced in July 2022, Phase II of the project involves constructing a third-tier flyover, which is currently 75 percent complete and features a 142-metre continuous composite steel bridge, a 2,820 square metre steel-concrete composite slab, and two steel box section frame piers.

Mr. Osei noted that the flyover includes a deep foundation with a 5-metre diameter for the main structure and a 2.5-metre diameter for the supports.

He said the 142-metre flyover is built with steel and features a painting system designed to last over 70 years.

He further urged the government to incorporate similar steel and concrete designs in other flyover projects to enhance traffic management and meet targets effectively.

The delegation also visited other Japanese-sponsored projects in Accra, including SORA Technology and TranSonica Company Limited.

The Head of Africa Business, SORA Technology, Ms. Mary Yeboah Asantewaa, stated that there was a need to build new and resilient healthcare systems through digitalisation.

“That is why we designed this SORA Malaria Control System (SMC), which uses AI and drones to detect mosquito larvae habitats, which is cost-effective and efficient compared to Larval Source Management (LSM),” she highlighted.

Ms. Asantewaa said using traditional Larval Source Management (LSM) involves sending health officials to identify and treat stagnant water bodies, which is costly and inefficient.

In contrast, she said the SORA Malaria Control System (SMC) utilises drones and AI to accurately detect water bodies with larvae, saving 40 percent in overall costs compared to LSM.

The Chief Executive Officer of TranSonica Company Limited, Mr. Daniel Elliot Kwantwi, briefing the delegation about the company’s activities, indicated that TranSonica developed cards for making cashless payments on a bus and in shops.

He said the company had over 13,000 cardholders operating in 87 shops at the University of Ghana.