By Isaac Arkoh
Cape Coast, Dec. 08, GNA – The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) has advanced the designing for the dualisation of the 34- 34-kilometre road from Kasoa to Winneba-junction, Mrs Mercy A. Payne, the Central Regional Director of the Authority has hinted.
The designing would soon end for procurement processes to begin to select an efficient contractor for work to begin on the busy stretch to ease the chaotic vehicular traffic to improve travel time whilst addressing congestion issues.
As part of the plan, major road intersections, particularly Akotsi junction noted for standstill traffic, would be redesigned to segregate the local traffic from the highway traffic.
Though tight-lipped about the date for commencement of work, Mrs Payne assured of the Government’s commitment to have that stretch dualised, noting that: “Currently, the road capacity cannot accommodate the current traffic stress.
“The intended construction is part of the broader Accra-Mankessim-Cape Coast dualisation being done in phases to boost tourism, attract and retain investments to the historic Region.”
Mrs Payne was briefing members of the Central Regional Coordinating Council about the state of the Region’s roads during its meeting to take stock of development issues in the Region in accordance with the Local Government Act, (Act 932).
In attendance were Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Presiding Members and heads of decentralized Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, traditional and religious authorities, security agencies and the media.
Mrs Payne also proposed a proper market to build at the 400-acre land onion market at Gomoa Fetteh which she described as “a fast-looming slum.”
According to her, the scheme for the onion market as part of the dualisation of the road would ensure dedicated lanes for commuters to help avoid accidents.
“The current situation where people just enter the market anyhow and leave, whilst drivers stop at any point to pick passengers for others to enter or leave is not the best.
…so, the whole place is becoming chaotic as the plantain and fish sellers have all joined in,” she explained.
Touching on other ongoing road projects, she mentioned the Winneba-junction –Agona Swedru Road, Swedru-Afransi-Ajumako Road, Potsin junction-Potsin Road,
Others are the partial reconstruction of sections of Cape Coast-Twifo Praso and sectional repair works on the 08 – (Yamoransa-Assin Fosu highway) to reduce the rampant road accidents between Winneba junction-Mankessim.
For the situation of the road mix, Mrs Payne explained that the Region has a total of 1,180.7 kilometres of highway roads covering a land size of 9,826 km² for the estimated 2,859,821 population.
Of the total road network, 852.5 km are paved representing 72.2 per cent, whilst 328.2 km are unpaved resenting 27.8 per cent.
About 295.8 km are good representing 24.0 per cent, 694.6 km are fair representing 58.0 per cent and 210.3 km representing 18.0 per cent is in a poor state.
Mrs Payne also underscored major challenges including the suspension of road works due to delays in payment of contractors, and encroachment on the right of way which disrupts road expansion due to huge payments of compensation.
Others are; excessive axle loading, vandalism of road furniture, illegal speed humps, road accidents, illegal access to trunk roads, traffic congestion and bottlenecks due to commercial activities, particularly at Akotsi-junction and Buduburam.
For urban roads, Mr Jacob Nelson, Regional Director of Urban Roads said his outfit operated in eight Assemblies including Cape Coast, Agona West, Assin Fosu, Upper Denkyira East, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA), Awutu Senya East, Efutu and Mfantseman.
He said the Region had a total of 1389.98 urban roads comprising 945.97km of unpaved roads representing 68 per cent and 444.01km of paved roads representing 32 per cent.
Though he was elated about some major upcoming projects in Abrem-Kafodzidzi road in KEEA, and Eguasi-Amosima-Nkanfoa town roads, he was concerned about myriad of challenges stifling their work.
Key among them are the pilfering of traffic light cables at Pedu junction, encroachments on road reservations, damage to the road caused by pipe leakages and repairs by the Ghana Water Company Limited.
Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Central Regional Minister in a speech read on her behalf, commended the Assemblies and other stakeholders for their hard work in various regional programmes such as the Farmers Day and HIV/AIDS celebrations, Central Expo, and sanitation interventions.
Ahead of the District Assembly elections, she underlined the need for all candidates and followers to conduct clean campaigns devoid of rancour and acrimony to maintain the peace in the Region.
GNA