By Edward Williams
Nkwanta (O/R), July 26, GNA – Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Bantama, has inspected construction works on some roads in the Oti region.
They are the Breweniase-Pusupu Bontibor and Nkwanta-Kpassa-Oti Damanko roads during his two-day tour of the Volta and Oti regions.
Construction works on the Breweniase-Pusupu Bontibor road, a feeder road in the Nkwanta South Constituency is 50 per cent completed.
The 21-kilometre road, when completed, will improve access to agriculture, markets and the health of people in the communities.
Work on the 50.3 kilometre Nkwanta-Kpassa-Oti Damanko road on the Eastern Corridor Road with a 50 per cent completion rate was abandoned due to some challenges and had since created discomfort for motorists.
Mr Asenso-Boakye assured that the government was committed to bringing the contractor to the site to complete works on the road.
He said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from 2009 to 2016, added 4,300 kilometres while the NPP from 2017 till date, added more than 12,000 kilometres to the country’s road networks.
Mr Asenso-Boakye said after the end of his nationwide tour, which ended in the Oti region, he was happy with the progress of work.
He said the Ministry would take a decision on portions of the 30-kilometre Hohoe to Jasikan road earlier inspected, which was still in a deplorable state.
Mr Asenso-Boakye said the government would continue to look for the necessary resources to build more roads, adding that the future government of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh would raise more resources to build more roads to enhance and accelerate the country’s development efforts.
Mr Charles Modom, Assemblyman of Bontibor-Salifu Electoral Area, said the earlier state of the road had been a serious challenge for the community made up of peasant farmers.
He said the road construction began in 2016 but was suspended, adding that it was a great relief that works had resumed and progressing steadily.
Mr Modom noted that prior to the award of the contract and work resuming, they had to walk or carry indisposed community members to the main roadside.
In Nkwanta, the Minister bemoaned an unhealthy development where some people were believed to be removing the bolts and nuts on the metallic bridge over the Dikyebu River forcing it to cave in.
Mr Asenso-Boakye said he had asked the Bridge Maintenance Unit of the Ghana Highways Authority to do the assessment in repairing the damage.
He said the government had invested huge sums of money to construct the bridge to promote trade and tourism and called on community leaders to serve as watchdogs to protect state assets nationwide.
Mr Felix Owusu Gyimah, the Nkwanta South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said the Municipal Security Council would meet on the issue and devise protective measures for the safety of the bridge.
GNA