News:
October 3, 2011
A former Western Regional Minister and MP for Wassa Amenfi East, Joseph Boahene Aidoo, has taken a swipe at the ruling National Democratic Congress government for delaying work on the Tarkwa-Ayamfuri-Bogoso highway, six months after President Mills cut sod for work to start.
Speaking to journalists at Wassa Akropong, the capital of the Wassa Amenfi East District, Hon. Boahene Aidoo said government cannot justify the delay of commencement of work on the 94.6 kilometre road.
According to him, an amount of $70 million has already been secured from the European Union and that Government could not use the excuse of inadequate funds.
He said it was obvious that the contractor was not ready to start work, yet the president was quick to cut the sod, saying the road is in its worst state ever, creating so much discomfort for motorists and travellers.
“From the look of things, the contractor, SONITRA, was not ready when the President in indecent haste came to Bogoso to perform the official ceremony to signify the commencement of work on the road”.
“The road is in its worst condition ever. To travel on it is to go through nightmare, the agony, ache, bodily pains and exhaustion that travellers suffer, the lorry fares that have naturally shot up, cargo and haulage trucks that keep on falling on the road, the rampant breakdown of vehicles and travellers getting stranded sometimes at very odd hours, the frequent and increasing cost of repairs and maintenance of vehicles and the sheer psychological discomfort to everybody that has a journey to make on this stretch of the road, has become unbearable,” he lamented.
“Armed robbers have taken advantage of the situation to attack drivers and passengers,” Hon. Boahene Aidoo claimed.
The Former Minister said the Tarkwa-Ayamfuri-Bogoso-Prestea highway is of international importance and great economic value and must be given the needed attention by government.
“Much as we do appreciate that preparation is now underway for actual work to begin, the sorry state of the road must not be left unattended to. This highway links Ghana to Burkina Faso and it is even more important economically because it is the ulterior road on which our major non-oil exports commodities such as cocoa, timber, robber, gold, bauxite and manganese are transported to the Takoradi Port. It is part of what was described as a golden triangle, but today, there is nothing golden about this road. The Government and the Ministry of Highways must spare the people of the Western Region the agony of a hellish road” he concluded.
Meanwhile, the DCE for Prestea Huni-Valley, Robert Wisdom Kudjoe, has told Maxx News the contractor is ready to start work. The road is scheduled to be completed within 24-30 months.
He said government has paid 50 per cent of agreed compensation to people whose properties would be affected by the construction work.
According to him, the NDC could not be faulted by the opposition NPP which did nothing on the highway in their eight-year administration, with a Regional Minister who doubled as a Member of Parliament for the area.
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