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Good Roads make a crucial contribution to the country’s economic development and growth and bring important social benefits. Additionally, they are of vital importance to making a nation grow and develop. Ghana under President Nana Akufo Addo has witnessed an abysmal performance in the road sector over the years despite the deception of the Road minister Amoako Atta lying to the good people of Ghana that under the NPP government led by Prez Nana Addo, they have constructed over 10,000 km of roads.
The good people of Dome-Kwabenya, Berekusu, and Kitase made use of the DFS Live News platform to appeal to the government a few months ago over their deplorable road network which militates against effective work in the area and affects businesses.
Friday, 29th July 2022, the president of the Republic of Ghana Nana Akufo Addo cut the sod for the construction of the Dome – Kwabenya to Kitase Road, which serves as a vital link between the Greater Accra and Eastern Region.
The twenty-three (23km) kilometer stretch of road connects the Greater Accra to the eastern region road and provides an alternate route to road users between Accra and Aburi. The road also provides access to the center of excellent (Ashesi University,) one of our nation’s foremost Universities.
According to the President, “the rehabilitation of the Dome-Kitase Road is being funded by the Government of Ghana and the Kuwaiti Fund. The works, estimated at thirty-five million dollars ($35 million) and scheduled to be completed within twenty-four (24) months from today, are being undertaken by M/S First Sky Construction Ltd, one of the best road construction companies in the country.”
In addition to these, the President stated that work is ongoing on the second one-hundred-kilometer Kumasi Inner City Roads Project, which is being undertaken by M/S Sino Hydro and is currently ten percent (10%) complete. The dualization of Tema- Aflao Road, including the construction of interchanges at Kpone, Savana, Dawhenya, and Prampram, is also ongoing.
The widening of Beach Road, from Independence Square to Tema, is also ongoing. Lot 1 of this project involves the expansion of the Beach Road from Independence Square to Nungua and is thirty-eight percent (38%) complete. Lot 2, which is the widening of the Beach Road between Nungua and Tema, including the construction of a three-tier interchange at Nungua, is 60% complete.
The upgrading of the 15.4-kilometer Ofankor to Nsawam Road into a ten-lane facility, including the erection of interchanges at Amasaman, Pobiman, Media, and Nsawam, has just commenced.
“Asphaltic overlay works throughout the country are also ongoing. One thousand and five kilometers (1,005kms) were completed between 2017 and 2020, and seven hundred and thirty-nine kilometers (739kms) of asphaltic overlay have been completed between 2021 and now. Government’s target of constructing, in this second term, one thousand, five hundred kilometers (1,500kms) of asphalt overlay works is very much on course,” he said.
In addressing the people, the president urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to put in place the necessary traffic management measures to reduce any inconvenience to the public during the construction period, and he urged further the contractor, M/S First Sky Construction Ltd., to ensure the completion of the project on time and budget.
In sharp contrast to all the excitement of the project, some assembly members of the area and senior division members expressed their disappointment on how the Dome Kwabenya Member of Parliament and some traditional Chiefs were left out of the ceremony.
“We are not very pleased because we felt we were not treated fairly by the people in power, today, where the event took place is at the center of both the Dome Kwabenya constituency and Akuapim Southland both Traditionally and Administratively”.
He further stated that Kwabenya traditional counsel is not against any form of development on their land.
“We know governance is a continuous process whether there is a change or not, but the people who planned the event should have contacted the people of Kwabenya being the allodia landowners”
“We are not against any development but we felt the right thing must be done”.
Speaking to DFS Live News, residents of the area expressed mixed feelings as they describe the colorful ceremony as a deception and a waste of taxpayers’ money. According to them, they have seen thousand and one sod cutting ceremonies under the NPP government led by Nana Addo and Dr. Bawumia which are still left in the Bush before during, and after the 2020 general elections. However, they can only pray and hope for the best to be achieved within the period stipulated in the contract.
Others also extend gratitude to the NDC governments for the GA-East Hospital, Kwabenya Community Day Senior High School, Kwabenya Community Library, Dome Market which is still serving a great purpose in the area, and many others which were abandoned by the Nana Addo and Bawumia led government.
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