Roads and Highways Minister directs appraisal of ongoing contracts

Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah, Minister for Roads and Highways, has directed regional heads of the departments of Urban and Feeder Roads to critically analyse all existing road contracts for repackaging and re-awarding to meet set targets.

This, he said, was in line with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's directive that all ongoing infrastructure projects, including those commenced during Former President Mahama's era, should be completed.

The Minister was addressing the annual Strategic Management Meeting of the Ministry in Koforidua on the theme, "Sustaining the Gains: 2021 Year of Roads."

He said such appraisal and analytical exercise was needed to determine the state of contract works for continuation or otherwise.

This would result in the termination of some contracts, he noted.

However, he told the assessing authorities that: "Where the contractor cannot be faulted for the slow pace or any infractions in the contract works, recommend the necessary support to scale up the project."

Mr Amoako-Attah called for professionalism and integrity on the part of the agencies carrying out the exercise, in all the 16 regions across the country, towards achieving the government's transformation agenda.

He charged the engineers of the Ministry to step up their roles to prevent shoddy road construction works, which he described as a bane to the Ministry.

He reiterated that the setting up of the Classification Committee by the Ministry was to upgrade the performance of contractors in line with the declaration of 2021 as another year of roads but not to deprive any contractor of their due.

The Minister explained that the move was to eliminate many abandoned road projects and shoddy works from the system, and entreated contractors to take advantage of the classification to upgrade themselves to meet the required standards in the sector, going forward.

Mr Seth Acheampong, Eastern Regional Minister, said the Region had benefited fairly from the 2020 declaration of roads and appealed to all stakeholders to position themselves strategically to build on the gains made in 2020.

Mr Sitsofe David Addo, Director, Planning, Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), said seven new bridges including Dambai, Daboya, and Yeji-Old Makango would be constructed as part of a four-year plan to improve road asset, preservation and access.

He said the Iture Bridge at Elmina, Ankobra Bridge, Dunkwa-on-Offin Bridge, Awusigoe Steel Bridge, Apramdo Steel Bridge, Nasia Steel Bridge, Pwalugu Steel Bridge, Kamba Steel Bridge, and the Kpalba Steel Bridge, had all been earmarked for rehabilitation under the plan.

He mentioned also that priority corridor road projects would be improved, as well.

They include the Noepe-Akatsi-Sogakope-Accra-

Takoradi-Elubo in the coastal corridor, Accra-Kumasi-Tamale-Bolgatanga-

Paga in the central corridor, Tema-Asutusare-Asikuma Junction-Hohoe-Nkwanta-Yendi-

Nankpanduir-Kulungugu in the Eastern corridor, Elubo-Sunyani-Bamboi-Sawla-

Hamile in the Western corridor, and the Wa-Navrongo-Bolgatanga-

Polimakom in the Northern corridor

Mr Addo said the road asset preservation was to ensure a shift from the current trend where about 96 percent of the budget went into new road construction, leaving only four percent for maintenance and preservation of existing road infrastructure.

He also noted that the laboratory machines used in monitoring road contracts were obsolete, and, therefore, could not monitor ongoing projects effectively.

He, therefore, appealed for new machines to strengthen the systems for better outcomes.

The two-day meeting, organised by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, was attended by representatives from agencies under the Roads and Highways Ministry to strategise for the 2021 year of roads.