Build safe, sustainable highways - Bono Minister to GHA

The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) has been challenged to embrace new technologies, innovative maintenance strategies and adopt environmentally friendly practices to build more resilient, safe and sustainable highways.

The Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene, who made the recommendation, said embracing such practices would not only preserve the gains they had made, but also ensure that future generations inherit a robust and enduring road network.

She was speaking at the launch of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Bono Regional office of the authority in Sunyani last Friday on the theme: "Development and Maintenance of Quality Highways: Retrospect and Prospect." 

The GHA was established 50 years ago to build and maintain the roads that connect regions of the country.

Lifespan

"The GHA must continue to lead the charge, ensuring that we embrace modern technologies, sustainable materials and innovative engineering practices that will reduce maintenance costs and extend the lifespan of our roads," she said.

Ms Owusu-Banahene said using advanced construction methods and environmentally friendly practices would ensure that road networks were climate-resilient and served future generations. 

"Reflecting on the GHA's journey over the past 50 years, we can proudly look back at the milestones achieved in road construction, connectivity, and the economic growth these infrastructures have facilitated," she said. 

Ms Owusu-Banahene said the Bono Regional road network needed significant rehabilitation due to its deplorable state.

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"However, we must not shy away from the fact that there are still ongoing challenges in meeting the growing road construction demands," she said.

Ms Owusu-Banahene said road networks remained the backbone of the region’s development agenda, since the area is noted for their massive involvement in agriculture.

Financial clearance 

The acting Regional Director of GHA, Harold Atobra-Acheampong, said the government had given financial clearance for the rehabilitation of some major roads in the region, specifically mentioning the Sunyani-Techiman Highway, Berekum-Sampa Highway and Wenchi-Techiman Highway.

Mr Atobra-Acheampong explained that the GHA had completed all the engineering studies on the roads and had submitted them to the government.

He said work was currently ongoing on the Berekum-Sampa Highway, explaining that contractors would soon mobilise to commence work on the other roads.

He pledged the GHA's commitment to ensure that quality work was executed on the roads, and gave an assurance that "GHA will not certify any shoddy road. We will make sure we certify quality work only." 

He said one of the major challenges which kept frustrating the GHA was the lack of funds to maintain the roads after their construction and called for the creation of a designated fund to finance the maintenance of roads to prolong their lifespan.

Appeal 

The Chairman of the Regional Contractors Association, Samuel Kwabena Opoku, appealed to the government to always ensure prompt payment of contractors to speed up work and avoid public agitations against contractors.

He also called on the regional GHA to always award the regional contracts to the local contractors.

Mr Opoku gave an assurance of the local contractors’ commitment to execute quality work if given the opportunity.