By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
Accra, July 30, GNA – The Ministry of Roads and Highways launched a Call Centre and Mobile App Innovation Network to improve the country’s road maintenance activities.
The “Maintain My Road” Call Center and App would be implemented on a pilot basis for the next five months, with a focus on the main trunk roads in four cities: Accra-Tema, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale.
Speaking at the launch, Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye, the Minister of Roads and Highways, said the enhanced road maintenance programme was developed on three key pillars: prioritization of key routine maintenance activities, provision of sustainable funding for road maintenance activities, and public ownership and involvement in road maintenance.
He said that Ghana’s road network was an essential part of the country’s infrastructure, accounting for over 90 per cent of all goods and services transported.
“Roads play a vital role in driving economic development and promoting trade and commerce, facilitating the movement of products and resources across regions,” he added.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye noted that the road network facilitated agricultural activity by connecting farmers to markets, lowering transportation costs, and providing speedier access to supplies and services.
“The accessibility provided by a well-maintained road system enhances tourism by connecting visitors to key attractions, generating revenue, and creating jobs in the hospitality sector.
“It is because of this that successive Governments have over the years invested in the upgrading and development of our road network with the Government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo achieving unprecedented levels of road infrastructure development in the history of our dear nation,” he said.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye said that between 2017 and 2023, the government completed construction of six new interchanges, 35 bridges, and 12,830.33 kilometers of roads across the country.
He said the issue of maintenance culture had not received the same amount of investment and attention in past administrations’ road network upgrading and development plans.
“It is for this purpose that the Ministry introduced this Enhanced Maintenance Programme at the start of the year with emphasis on routine maintenance activities, such as, pothole patching on the paved network and grading on the unpaved roads.”
“Maintenance Call Centre has been established and the Ministry would be receiving reports and concerns on road maintenance needs, including potholes and other road defects, schedule inspections, and coordinate maintenance activities,” he noted.
The Minister said the call center, staffed by well-trained personnel, would provide prompt response to maintenance requests and resolution of road maintenance issues and related public complaints.
Furthermore, the Mobile App would allow the public to improve road conditions and streamline road maintenance reporting for issues like potholes and other defects.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye said that the initiative seeks to create awareness and engagement for active citizen participation in road maintenance reporting and encouraged broad adoption of reporting platforms.
Mr. Francis Ahlidza, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry, demonstrated how the App and Call Centre could be used to report information, saying: “We have a call Centre open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.”
“We have trained people who are at the call Centre who can speak Twi, Ga Ewe, and very soon we are going to get someone who can speak Hausa to be captured in the call Centre to be responding to calls.”
Dr. Abass Awolu, Chief Director of the Ministry, said the initiative underscored the country’s commitment to improving road safety and infrastructure.
He emphasized that the App would enable Ghanaians to report road users and request maintenance.
He called for a collaborative effort to enhance the road infrastructure.
GNA