Ashaiman roads to be upgraded

Page 15, Nov 9, 2007
Story: Kweku Tsen & Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah.
A total of 17 kilometres of gravel roads in Ashaiman are expected to be upgraded to bitumen surface over the next five years, a Deputy Minister of Transportation, Mr Magnus Opare-Asamoah, told Parliament yesterday.
He said during the same period, traffic management measures would be put in place to improve the flow of traffic in the town.
Mr Opare Asamoah, who said this in answer to a question from the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, Mr Alfred Kwame Agbesi, explained that the community was also to benefit from the Urban Transport Project (UTP), which was recently launched by President John Agyekum Kufuor.
The MP enquired from the Minister when Ashaiman town roads will be tarred to improve the flow of traffic in the area.
According to the Minister, for some time now the town had seen significant road improvement, including the construction of an over-pass on the motorway to improve access to the community.
He said the Department of Urban Roads, through the Tema Municipal Road Units, had been responsible for upgrading a number of roads in the town to bitumen surface.
“ Mr Speaker, two major culverts have been constructed at Jericho to link the old Ashaiman and the new Ashaiman popularly called Middle East,” he said.
Mr Opare-Asamoah explained further that the unit had also opened up new areas in Tulaku where drains had been constructed and roads gravelled.
He said currently 10 contracts for the construction of drains were being undertaken in several areas of Ashaiman, including Middle East, Lebanon Zone and Jericho.
Additionally, the Minister stated that, contracts had recently been awarded to rehabilitate selected roads in Official Town, Jericho and Middle East.
Mr Opare-Asamoah added that the unit continued to undertake annual routine maintenance of roads in Ashaiman, stressing that since the beginning of 2007, a total of five kilometres of roads had been graded under the routine maintenance programme.
In another development, the MP for Mfantseman East, Mr George Kuntu Blankson, asked the Minister when work on the extension of the road from Ekumfi Nanabin to Narkwa would begin.
Responding, the Minister said the Ekumfi Nanabin-Narkwa feeder road had been programmed for surfacing in two phases.
“ The phase one contract involving the first 5km was awarded for surfacing in September 2004 and completed in February 2006 at the cost of ¢3.8 billion. The project was executed by M/S General Construction Limited,” he said.
The Minister, however, explained that the remaining 6.2 km could not be awarded this year due to inadequate budgetary provision.
He also mentioned that the first 1.5km section of the Esuehyia-Akra feeder road had an existing bituminous surface and was in fair condition, which would require resealing.
The Minister said the Esuehyia-Adansi-Akra and Ekumpoano Junction-Ekumpoano feeder roads had been programmed for surfacing in phases.
“ The phase one contract of 5km between km 1.5 and 6.5????? was awarded for surfacing in December 2004 and was scheduled for completion in February 2006. The project was, however, completed ahead of schedule in October 2005 at the cost of ¢2.8 billion. The project was executed by M/S Big Aidoo Construction Limited,” he said.
The Minister said the second phase of the contract, which involved the surfacing of the remaining 8.1 km and the resealing of the first 1.5km section, could not be carried out this year due to budgetary constraints.