By Benjamin A. Commey
Accra, March 05, GNA – Mr Mahama Abdulai, the Project Manager for the Ofankor-Nsawam road project, has attributed the lack of progress on the corridor to the outstanding compensations yet to be paid to affected persons.
He also identified the difficulty in relocating utility lines as well as ongoing litigations as major factors affecting work on the stretch.
Construction work on the 33.4km road commenced in 2022 and was expected to be completed in July 2024.
However, work slowed down in November 2024.
Briefing Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minister of Roads and Highways, during an inspection tour on Thursday, Mr Mahama said the unpaid compensation to some affected persons was a major cause for the delay of work.
For instance, he indicated that at Amasaman where a three-tier interchange was to be constructed the contractor had not had access to the land due to compensation issues.
“Those compensation have two issues – the contractor actually valued the accessed property which is being disputed by a section of the affected claimants, which is being contested with the land valuation people so that they do the certification,” he explained.
Additionally, he said, the plethora of court cases had affected the project, stressing that currently, there were over 80 court cases which were being addressed by the contractor and the Ghana Highway Authority.
“Some of them have been cleared, but others are still out there, especially from the Amasaman area towards Nsawam, Hebron, Medie and Samsam Junction, and the Nsawam proper around the Blue Skies area,” he said.
The Project Manager added that the relocation of utility lines such as high-tension poles on both sides of the road remained a challenge.
“So, the issues we have now are the compensation issues, the legal issues, and the relocation, which are actually taking a toll on the progress of the works by the contractor side,” Mr Mahama emphasised.
Work on the project is currently 75 per cent complete.
Mr Mahama assured the Minister of the contractor’s commitment to complete the project on time, urging him to address the challenges that were confronting the project which also included financial constraints.
Mr Agbodza said the project was a priority of the government in easing the stress of Ghanaians, urging the contractor to expedite work on the it.
“Indeed, if they have done about 75 per cent of the work, that is significant amount of work done already, that is why we are saying that if it is left with 25 per cent of work to be done all we are expecting is that, of course, if they’ve run out of money, we are not expecting them to be working at the same pace as if nothing is wrong.
“But the fact that they were almost non-existent on the site and today we can some of the things the public was complaining about are being done,” he said.
Also, he reiterated government’s commitment to complete the project and all other ongoing road projects, as well as honour all payment owed contractors.
The Ofankor-Nsawam section of the National Route Six (N6) serves as a major arterial road for communities in the Ga West Municipal Assembly, Pokuase, Amasaman, Medie, Sarpeiman, among others.
It also serves as a vital link for trade between Ghana and its neighbouring landlocked countries – Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, and for transit cargo to move from the country’s ports to those destinations.
The project is funded by the Government of Ghana at a cost of GH¢342.48 million and being constructed by Maripoma Enterprise Limited, a local construction firm.
The Minister also inspected work on the 17km dualisation of the Tema-Aflao and the Tema Roundabout to Akosombo road projects where he demanded similar actions to ensure their timely completion.
He was accompanied by Mr Alhassan Suhuniyi, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways as well as directors of the ministry and the Ghana Highways Authority.
GNA
GRB