News:
March 17, 2025
Ninety percent of challenges facing the road sector are financially related; Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Agbodza stated on the floor of Parliament and lamented over the inability to judiciously apply the scares resources we have as a nation.
According to him, one point nine million dollars ($1.9 billion) had been earmarked for the dualization of the Accra-Kumasi Road, with a variation of one point seven billion dollars ($1.7 billion), stating that he has not seen such a worse situation before.
Governs Agbodza further added that to address issues of road construction, enough preparations on drawing and design should be done and funds secured for its execution.
“Ghanaians are not getting the needed value with a lot of roads being built and the Accra to Kumasi is design and build, one point nine billion and has one point seven billion variations to it”, stating that it is the more reason that under the Big Push program, President John Mahama wants redesign done and built.
Additionally, the sector Minister noted that a drone shot was captured of the site for the dualization of the Accra-Kumasi road; and it was later noticed that galamsey activities were on some portions hence the cost of construction went overboard.
The Minister received a lot of heckling from his colleagues from the Minority side of the House, who pointed out that, the Accra-Kumasi dualization project was signed by civil servants and not by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
“Sometimes, as politicians we take blame for things we are not supposed to take blame for; it is civil servants who carried the work out and put the contract document together. Why are politicians taking blame for things we are not responsible for? I am happy you are feeling uncomfortable about this revelation and it would help the Majority side not to repeat the mistakes you did”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com