Kwasi Amoako-Atta
The Ministry of Roads and Highways has ordered squatters on the Tema Motorway to vacate the area to pave way for the construction of the first phase of the interchange.
A vast portion of the road has also been encroached upon by squatters located on the shoulders of the road and some residential and industrial facilities have also been constructed along the same stretch.
Additionally, some commercial drivers have created unauthorized bus stops along the motorway and there are at least more than ten of such points where commercial and private vehicle drivers stop to pick up or drop off passengers and goods.
The motorway, which also suffers the general lack of functioning street lights, has seen several accidents caused by poor visibility.
The Roads Ministry acting through the Ghana Highway Authority received a Japanese grant for the construction of the first phase of the interchange.
Addressing the press after an inspection tour, sector minister, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, said the project will be completed within 28 months.
“This project is supposed to last 28 months. This is a national project and nobody will be allowed, for whatever reason, to stand in the way of the project,” he declared.
The Minister had earlier told Citi News that he will ensure that all squatters along the motorway are evicted before April 2018, to enable the road expansion project move at a fast pace.
The Tema Motorway, which some have argued that it no longer serves its purpose, has been reduced to a highway due to uncontrolled human activities.
The 19-kilometre long highway was constructed under the administration of Ghana’s first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. It was opened to traffic in 1965.
The purpose of the motorway was to link the harbour city of Tema to Accra. It is the only motorway in Ghana
