Year of Roads: Government begins work on township roads in Ellembelle

Government of Ghana has handed over sites to contractors to commence the construction of all the remaining township roads in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.

This exercise was followed by a sod-cutting ceremony of a 71-kilometer township road project held at Teleku-Bokazo on Tuesday, August 18, 2020 by President Akufo-Addo as part of his 'Year of Roads' declaration.

It also forms part of government's efforts to improve road networks in the country and also to make the various principal streets attractive and beautiful.

However, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ellembelle, Kwasi Bonzoh within this week led by some government officials handed over some sites to contractors to start the construction work.

One contractor called Memphis Metropolitan Limited has been engaged to construct 12 Community township roads within the Ellembelle District.

The Communities are; Awiebo, Edwakpole, Akpandue, A.B. Bokazo, Eikwe, Kikam Technical Institute, Asanda, Asemko, Bobrama, Teleku-Bokazo, Anwia, Bomoakpole,

The total length of roads to be covered in aforementioned towns is 43.83km of bitumen surfacing.

The 43.83km township road project which is being constructed by the Memphis Metropolitan Limited is also being supervised by the Department of Feeder Roads.

It is expected to be completed in some 24 months (2 years) and it is being financed by the Ghana National Petroleum Corperation (GNPC).

Speaking at the handing-over ceremony at Awiebo, Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, expressed his profound appreciation to the good people of Awiebo for their overwhelming support to the project.

He also expressed his happiness that the contractor was going to start the construction work at Awiebo which is his father's hometown.

He said he promised to fix the Awiebo township roads in 2016 when he was campaigning to become Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle, but some people did not believe him but today his pledge has come to pass.

"I am happy we are starting the construction here at Awiebo because here is my father's hometown and in 2016 I pleged that when I come to power I will construct Awiebo town roads and I said it here and when I was saying it, some people said I was deceiving them but today I have honoured my pledge, today we have tried and given Awiebo township roads to contractor, government has secured funds that we are going to use it to do it", he stated.

He, therefore, took the opportunity, to mention some Communities that were going to benefit from the 43.83-km road project.

"...so today we have brought the contractor to you so that we hand over the work to him and the same contractor apart from Awiebo township roads, he is going to work on Edwakpole, Akpandue, A.B. Bokazo. From A.B. Bokazo and others, he will go to Kikam Technical Institute to construct their roads which is 1.6km, Teleku-Bokazo town roads is 6.9km, Asanda is 4.03km and Eikwe is 4km and also Edwakpole, Akpandue and A.B Bokazo is 4.3km", he said.

Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh described the contractor, Memphis Metropolitan Limited as one of the best contractors in Ghana and urged the Chiefs and people to rally behind him to finish the project on time.

He said the Contractor is capable and has a good track record in the district, "this contractor is very capable and he is one of the best in Ghana, he is constructing Nkroful road and he is almost done, he will finish putting the asphalt on the Nkroful by the end of October 2020, we gave him 18 months to finish it but he has spent only 8 months and you can see the work that has done".

He added, "the town roads that we have given to Memphis Metropolitan Limited is 43.83km and it covers 12 Communities and GNPC is paying for it and Ellembelle District Assembly initiated the process".

He disclosed that, "we awarded the contract on 17th August 2020 and President Akufo-Addo came to Ellembelle to cut sod for the project on 18th August 2020 and I made sure the contract is awarded the arrival of the president".

He said the contractor would officially starts work on September 14, 2020 and would complete on September 14, 2022.

"...the contractor would officially starts work on 14th September 2020 and the contractor will complete the work on September 14, 2022, two years that we have given the 4.83km township road project to the contractor and we officially hand over the sites to the contractor".

Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh seized the opportunity to rubbish the propaganda that they were doing these township roads because of voting (elections) adding that they commenced the process in 2018 and this was the appointed time to start the construction.

He therefore, appealed with the residents to reward President Akufo-Addo and him come December 7 by voting massively for them to continue with what they had started.

The Tufuhene of Awiebo, Nana Bonzo Kaku I thanked the government and the DCE for thinking about Awiebo Community of giving them the share of the national cake.

He advised the contractor not to do any shoddy work because of the coming general Elections just to win only votes.

He pledged to liaise with the contractor to expedite action on the project to benefit the entire Community.

He also called on the District Engineer to monitor the contractor to do a nice work for them.

Some opinion leaders in the town led by the opposition National Democratic Congress NDC Ellembelle Constituency Chairman, Mr. Alex Mahama thanked the DCE for taking step to construct some remaining parts of the town roads in the area for them.

The NDC Chairman said development was not about politics and therefore urged the Youth to put their political colours aside and support the project.

He, therefore, charged and cautioned the contractor and his workers not to chase their young girls and impregnate them and go.

On his part, the Western Regional Manager of the Department of Feeder Roads, Mr. Felix Bakobieo urged the contractor to engage the locals in the construction works to reduce the unemployment situation in the District.

He also called on the Chiefs and people to give their assistance to the contractor and his workers to meet the timeline.

The Accra Rep of Memphis Metropolitan Limited on his part, promised to engage the locals as part of government's local content policy.

He also pledged to finish the project on schedule and also urged the residents to be patient with him and the workers and channel their grievances to the appropriate headquarters to be addressed than to attack them 'unnecessary'.

The rest of the township roads in the Ellembelle District is yet to be given to another contractor.