Government secures $250m grant for eastern corridor project
Mr Joe Gidisu, the Minister of Roads and Highways, has said the government had sourced a 250-million-dollar grant from Brazil to undertake road construction within the country’s eastern corridors.
The project expected to be completed within two years are Asikuma through Hohoe, Kejebi to Nkwanta.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Ministry of Information on Friday.
Mr Gidisu said the major road networks within Accra Metropolis were undergoing interventions as a result of the increase in vehicular traffic.
He said government would spend about 3.5 million dollars to re-activate all the 48 traffic systems in the capital and so far 30 of them had been re-activated with new technology that allowed the system to operate for 48 hours after a power outage.
“There are plans to synchronise all the traffic system for easy regulation,” he added.
Mr Gidisu said government was studying the proposal from Trassaco to build a fly–over to link the eastern end of Accra to Accra Central and that the Ministry was making efforts to partner a foreign company to undertake the construction of a dual Accra- Kumasi road on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.
On the issue of the 12 per cent increase in road tolls, the Sector Minister said it was necessary because road projects were capital intensive, and while government funding was limited, donor interventions could not be reliable.
He said the increase had made substantial funds available for maintenance works to be undertaken on some of busy roads in the city.
These are the on-going construction of the dual carriage Dansoman Highway, Teshie beach road as well as the Adenta–Komenda stretch.
“Work is also scheduled to begin soon on the Awoshie–Pokuase road, re-asphalting of the Nima Highway and complete cement overlaying of the Tema Motorway,” he said.
He underscored the need to increase the number of toll booths to generate more funds to pursue road construction and maintenance adding that few spots had been identified on the Accra–Kumasi road and the Kintampo-Techiman road and would be secured through Legislative Instrument.
Mr Giddisu assured of similar rehabilitation works on roads throughout major cities in the country.
Source: GNA
Great idea and again if Accra have good rail system, there will be less traffic on our roads and again less maintenance. partnering with Foreign company is great but the should be a need for control of toll not being too high above level of cost of living.
Tolls are good idea to enable continue finance for road maintenance.