The Ministry of Roads and Highways has directed contractors undertaking road projects across the country to put measures in place to ensure roads are motorable during construction.
The directive follows growing complaints from road users and residents over dusty conditions and deteriorating roads at construction sites in parts of the country.
Speaking during an inspection of the 49-kilometre Asikuma Junction–Anyirawasi Road Project, Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways Alhassan Suhuyini acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the numerous road projects currently underway and appealed to the public for patience.
He apologized to Ghanaians for the temporary disruptions, saying the country had effectively become a construction site following President John Dramani Mahama’s infrastructure agenda.
Mr. Suhuyini commended the project’s contractor, Ultranexus Limited, for maintaining motorable sections of the road while construction works continue, describing it as an example other contractors should emulate.
“Where you have construction going on, it’s as if people cannot use the road again. But I think interventions we have seen here, when they are carried out by the contractors, the inconvenience that motorists will face as a result of the construction will be less,” the deputy minister said.
He urged contractors to adopt measures that would ensure road users can travel safely and with minimal disruption throughout the construction period.
The Tamale North Member of Parliament also appealed to Regional Ministers and traditional leaders to take keen interest in road projects within their jurisdictions to help address challenges that could delay their completion.
“President Mahama’s government is championing this but it is not going to just serve him as president or serve the minister… It is going to serve, especially, the people who live closest to these projects. And we would like to see that level of local ownership and interest in the work of the contractors at these sites,” he stated.
