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Western Region gets first-ever interchange

Taadi Interchange Dr Bawumia has cut sod for the construction of an interchange at the PTC roundabout in Takoradi

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Western Region has become the latest region in the country for an interchange after a sod was cut yesterday by Vice President Bawumia for the construction of an interchange at the PTC Roundabout in Takoradi. The project is being financed under the Sinohydro Bauxite arrangement.

Despite being a populous and commercially-busy city, Takoradi and the entire Western part of the country was yet to be considered for a modern road edifice to help ease traffic congestion in the oil city, which builds up during prime time as a result of commuters who troop in from all parts of the region and the country.

But that is set to change with the construction of a three-tier interchange at the PTC roundabout and the dualisation of adjoining roads, especially the Sekondi Road from the Paa Grant Roundabout, as well as the Adiembra Road from Effia Nkwanta Hospital.

From zero interchange, the city of Takoradi is about to be transformed to a city of interchanges, as the government has also announced Cabinet's approval for the construction of another interchange at the Paa Grant Roundabout, also in Takoradi.

Addressing Chiefs and people of Takoradi during the sod-cutting ceremony, Vice President Bawumia said the construction of the Interchange, which will enhance free flow of traffic in Takoradi, forms part of government's broader vision of providing infrastructure for all, as well as government's specific program to improve road infrastructure in the twin city of Sekondi-Takoradi.

"The construction of the PTC Interchange fits into the government’s program of improving the road infrastructure of Sekondi-Takoradi and to modernize the twin city," Dr Bawumia said.

Dr Bawumia added that apart from the construction of the PTC interchange, the Akufo-Addo government is also undertaking road improvements within the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis, such as road network around the Paa Grant roundabout, which is also scheduled to be converted into an interchange, to Effia Nkwanta Hospital.

He noted further that the Accra Road, the Sekondi Road from the Paa Grant Roundabout, as well as the Adiembra Road from Effia Nkwanta Hospital will be widened to dual carriageways.

On the Akufo-Addo government's massive infrastructure development agenda nationwide, Dr Bawumia said before the 2016 election, the NPP conducted a survey on the development of Ghana and the survey, which he said informed the NPP's 2016 Manifesto, also revealed profound challenges, including huge infrastructure deficit and uneven distribution of projects.

"In line with the government’s agenda to ensure inclusive and accelerated economic development, we have focused our efforts in the first term in office to provide infrastructure for all," Dr Bawumia noted.

"Our approach to the infrastructure development of Ghana has been two-fold: first, to provide for the infrastructure needs of the poor and deprived communities for services such as water, toilets, clinics and electricity. Second, to provide for the broader infrastructure needs of the economy at the macro-level to drive economic growth, such as ports, major highways and inner-city roads and bridges."

Dr Bawumia stressed that the Akufo-Addo government's strategy for infrastructure development is to provide people with their real needs at both urban and rural levels to help economic activities.

"Our thinking about infrastructure for all includes all the amenities that people need in order to unleash the potentials for growth in their communities, constituencies, and districts, and ultimately improve the conditions of everyday living."

"These are needed to support industrial growth and other supporting economic activities, especially in the urban areas (such as the Takoradi-Sekondi Metropolis)."

When the interchange is completed, Takoradi and the Western Region will join a few cities and regions with interchanges in the country.

Accra and Kumasi were the only cities with interchanges in the country but in the past three and half years Tema has been added and the Akufo-Addo government has also started the construction interchanges at Pokuase, Nungua and Tamale, which is the first-ever interchange in the Northern Region.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com