A groundbreaking ceremony was yesterday performed to begin the construction of the Pokuase Interchange at the ACP Junction in the Ga West Municipality in the Greater Accra Region.
The 84 million dollars project jointly funded by the African Development Bank and the Government of Ghana is expected to be completed in two years.
The interchange when completed will ease traffic congestion and improve urban mobility along the Nsawam-Accra road.
It consists of the construction of a five-kilometre road from Awoshie to Pokuase, the construction of a two- kilometre road to link the Accra-Nsawam Highway, the construction of two-kilometre road to Kwabenya and the construction of 10- kilometre of local roads.
To be undertaken by Messrs China Zhongmei Eng. Company Limited, the project forms part of the Accra Urban Transport project aimed at promoting sustainable economic growth for the people in the area.
The Senior Minister, Mr Osafo Maafo, on behalf of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, charged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to ensure that the contract was executed to specification and delivered on time.
"I task you to ensure that the road is done according to the specification, skill and on time, the government would not accept anything short of that," he added.
According to him, regular users of that road know the frustrations and negative effects of congestion they go through. Hence, the need to attach all seriousness to give the people value for money adding that "Government is determined to fulfill its promises and the prospects of these roads when completed will change the face of the area," he added.
The Senior Minister said, Ghana beyond Aid needs resilient cities supported by intra and inter transportation devoid of negative effects of pollution and traffic jams.
Mr Maafo charged the contractor and the consultant to ensure that the compensations are promptly paid to people whose properties are affected by the project.
He commended the previous government for signing the project in 2016 and assured that it would be perfectly executed as a mark of good governance.
The Country Manager of the African Development Bank, Dr Yero Baldeh said the project would provide a critical missing link at the Pokuase intersection.
The bank, he explained has since 1981 financed projects in country totaling 613 million dollars and expressed optimism that the ongoing negotiations for funding for the Eastern Corridor road would be successful.
Dr Baldeh urged the government to explore new sources of funding including Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and also ensure that new tolling policies are implemented.
The Minister of Roads, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, stated that traffic congestion in the Greater Accra Region has been a concern for the Ministry and assured that the project when completed would enhance connectivity between parts of the country.
He expressed governments resolve to address all roads infrastructure challenges and assure that the Ministry and the Technical brains in charge of the project would ensure that the project was done to specification.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashitey, said the regional coordinating council would engage the people to ensurean accident free project.
