Upgrade roads in Effiduase-Asokore—Agyen

Jan ,2011

Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Effiduase Asokore in the Ashanti Region, Mr Frank Boakye Agyen, has appealed to the government to upgrade roads in the area to facilitate the evacuation of cocoa and food crops to marketing centres.
He said the government had to reciprocate the sweat and toil of cocoa farmers in the area by upgrading the entire road network to ensure easy transportation.
Mr Agyen made the appeal in an interview with the Daily Graphic after posing a question on the floor of Parliament about the state of the road network in his constituency.
He wanted to ascertain from the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu, when the road from Dwansa through Seniagya and Effiduase to Mampong, which serves as a diversion from Kumasi towards the northern parts of the country, will be constructed.
In addition, he also wanted to know from the minister when the Effiduase-Asamang, Nkwankwaanua-Senchi and Effiduase-Ntumkumso roads would be bituminised.
Answering the question, Mr Gidisu stated that sections of the Dwansa-Seniagya-Effiduase-Mampong road had already been upgraded while efforts were being made to upgrade the remaining sections.
He explained that first 12 kilometres of the 28-kilometre Juansa-Effiduase road had been awarded on contract for upgrading into a bituminous surface while the kilometre 21-18 would be programmed for upgrading later.
Mr Gidisu assured the MP that the gravel section of the seven-kilometre Effiduase-Asamang route had been programmed to receive routine maintenance under the 2011 programme within the first quarter of the year.
On the 11-kilometre Nkwankwaanua-Senchi road, the minister stated that five kilometres of the road had been awarded on contract, adding that even though the project was awarded in April 2007 for completion by December, 2009, progress so far stood at 36 per cent.
Mr Gidisu said the contractor had been warned to expedite progress or risk the termination of the contract.
When it was the turn of the MP for Abirem, Ms Esther Obeng-Dappah, he asked the minister when the bridge connecting Pankese and Bramkrom would be constructed to ensure easy transportation.
Mr Gidisu told the House that a contract was awarded in August, 2004 for the construction of a 30-metre span steel bridge but explained that the contract had been terminated due to poor performance of the contractor.
He assured the House that the outstanding work was repackaged and re-awarded on contract in April, 2010 but the new contractor was yet to commence work.
For his part, the MP for Ablekuma North, Mr Joe Appiah, wanted to know when the Owusu Kofi road at Darkuman in his constituency would be tarred.
Mr Gidisu told the House that the two-kilometre road was awarded on contract for tarring in 2009 at a total cost of GH¢188,000, adding that the tarring of the road was completed earlier this month.