Ministry launches app, call centre to fix defective roads
The Ministry of Roads and Highways has launched an app and a call centre where citizens can report on road defects in their respective communities for prompt attention.
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The initiative, dubbed "Maintain My Road," is expected to streamline the process of reporting and addressing road maintenance issues, ensure quicker responses and more efficient repairs.
The Maintain My Road app is available on both Android and iOS devices, and would allow users to upload pictures and descriptions of road defects, and tag the exact location using GPS to track the status of the reports.
The call centre which would also operate from 9a.m. to 5p.m. on Mondays to Fridays would provide an alternative direct line for those without access to smartphones to report road defects, hazards and other related issues.
The initiative, which would be piloted for the next five months, will focus on main trunk roads and urban centres such as Accra-Tema, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale. It will be staffed by multilingual persons fluent in English, Twi, Ga, and Ewe, and equipped with a geolocation-enabled dashboard to accurately pinpoint reported issues.
The innovative system would be the bedrock of the ministry’s Enhanced Roads Maintenance Programme that leverages technology to transform the country's road infrastructure.
The initiative is being backed by an allocation of 60 per cent of the Road Fund maintenance budget. It involves critical maintenance activities such as pothole patching on major trunk roads and urban centres, repair of traffic signals and spot improvements on feeder roads.
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The Minister of Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso-Boakye, who launched the initiative in Accra last Monday, said the new system had become necessary to cut cost associated with badly damaged road surfaces in their reconstruction processes in the wake of constraints with the Road Fund.
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“The mobile app will enhance public engagement and enable citizens to report road issues and contribute to maintenance efforts directly, ensuring efficient response and timely resolution of issues,” he added.
Mr Asenso said the ministry had already identified critical trunk roads requiring urgent assistance and had put plans in place to address defects on those sections.
“I just want to assure the people that the Accra Kumasi highway will see major maintenance activities that will improve drastically the conditions of the road, as well as the Accra-Tema Motorway,” he added.
Commitment
Mr Asenso-Boakye further said that the government was committed to developing an integrated, efficient, cost-effective and sustainable road transport system that supports growth and poverty reduction.
A member of the Road Fund Board, John Afful Jnr, said the board would ensure that funds for routine and periodic maintenance were prioritised to make commuters comfortable and safe.
He said the board would collaborate with the Ministry of Finance to secure the necessary exemptions from the Carbon and Realignment Act 2017, Act 947, to maintain ongoing projects and also ensure the continuous improvement of road infrastructure.
“I will also caution the public to be moderate in their expectations, especially when the reported maintenance risk is extensive and would require procurement procedures to be satisfied before works are undertaken,” the minister added.
For his part, the Board Chairman of Ghana Highway Authority, I.K. Mensah, called for cooperation with law enforcement agencies such as the police, adding “linking police call centres directly with the app would ensure that issues requiring police intervention are promptly addressed”.