Tema, April 15, GNA – Drivers plying the TOR-Kpone link road on Thursday said they were eagerly waiting for the construction of the road to make it motorable and convenient for use.
The drivers speaking with the Ghana News Agency-Tema said using the road was a nightmare and called on government to urgently begin the construction, as it was affecting them economically and health wise.
The 7.2 kilometers single carriageway road can boost of a number of industries including Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), West Africa Gas Pipeline, ALUWORKS, Sentuo Steel, Sunon Asogli Power Plant, Tema Tank Farm, among others.
The road, which is often seen with fuel tankers and harbour trucks is dusty, bumpy, with most of the coal tar used for its construction wearing off leaving drivers to manoeuvre through trenches. It also lacks drains and streetlights.
Mr Henry Kpodo, a taxi driver said commercial drivers were suffering on the Kpone roads, inhaling dust which had great health impact on their lives, “my car goes to the shop every two weeks. The money we earn ends up in the pockets of the fitters”.
Mr Kpodo said they had been waiting for months to see some equipment and workers on the road embarking on its construction after sod was cut, questioning; “why will the government come and cut sod if they knew they won’t do the roads”?
“The construction of the road is not an honour to the citizens, we pay taxes for the roads to be fixed but nothing is done, this road has been like this for years and nothing is being done and when the politicians are coming to Kpone, usually they don’t use the bad roads”.
Mr Francis Kojo Lartey, a driver, indicated that the bad road was a put off for investments and therefore urged government to hasten in addressing the issue and having a legacy to their credit.
Mr Lartey said “there are a lot of industries along that road; it would create a bad image for the government if foreign investors decide to come and invest in those Industries”.
He added that his car breaks down easily as a result of the nature of the road, adding that “Government shouldn’t disappoint us again”.
Nii Mante, another driver, said successive governments had all failed in addressing the road issues in Kpone, stressing that both NPP and NDC have disappointed Kpone on road constructions”.
Meanwhile, in September 2020, cutting the sod for the construction of the road, Mr Amoako Attah, Minister of Roads and Highways who was accompanied by some deputy ministers and dignitaries, said the collector road would be widened to 2×2 dual carriage way with improved drainage systems within 24 months.
He noted back then that the first two kilometres road within the industrial zone would have concrete surface while the remaining would be asphalted.
GNA