Ofankor-Nsawam road project nearing completion — Engineer

The GH¢342 million Ofankor-Nsawam Road Project is 50 per cent complete and a substantial part of the project is set to be completed by the end of this year.

The Chief Resident Engineer on the project, Kwabena Bempong, said currently the Nsawam Interchange was about 20 per cent complete while the Poobiman Interchange was also about 70 per cent done.

At Medie, he said, the interchange was about 40 per cent complete while three overpasses on the project were also about 50 per cent complete.

The 33.4km stretch, which forms part of the Accra-Kumasi road network, commenced in 2022 and includes the construction of four interchanges and flyovers at Amasaman, Kpobiman, Medie and Nsawam Junction.

Funded by the government, the project is being undertaken by Maripoma Enterprise Limited at GH¢342.48 million. 

Relocation works

Briefing the Minister of Roads and Highway, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, during an inspection tour of the project last Friday, Mr Bempong said in terms of the utility relocation, the low voltage pylons within the project space had been relocated while relocation of the high tension would begin in March this year.

With regard to the relocation of the water lines, he said they were almost through with the first two kilometres.

“We want to finish with all the relocation works before we can remove the existing water line and install the new ones.  

This project is on course and all the challenges that we had are being addressed.

“The most difficult part of the physical works has been completed.

The footbridges and the main bridges are almost completed so now we are heading to a part where it is going to move very fast,” Mr Bempong said. 

Observation

In terms of progress, it was observed that quite a lot with regard to concrete works and earthworks had been done.

The contractor had also deployed some water tankers to dampen the road periodically to help reduce the dust in the area.

This is in response to the public’s outcry over excessive dust in the area.

The minister also visited the portion of the road where about seven people reportedly died when a truck ran over a mini bus last Monday.

Also, as part of the tour, Mr Amoako-Attah visited the Adentan-Dodowa road dualisation project, as well as the Flower Pot flyover project to inspect the progress of work.

Mixed feelings

The minister, after embarking on the tour, said he had mixed feelings.

On one hand, he said he was so happy and excited about the kind of work being done on the project and the progress of work so far.

He, therefore, commended the local contractor and all the project consultants for the good work done.

“I always get excited when I see the kind of work going on and being done by the local contractor whose capacity has been developed over the past seven years,” he said.

But on the other hand, the minister said he was saddened about the accident that occurred on the stretch, which led to the loss of seven lives.

He urged drivers who plied the road to be extra cautious since the road was under construction.

For the past few days he said he had been following the concerns of people who plied the road.

He said most people had expressed their unhappiness about disregard for safety precautions on the project.

“I am privy to what is happening here.

The contractor has taken all necessary safety measures on site, most importantly, the company has delivered as many as 16 water tankers to address the excessive dust on the road,” Mr Amoako-Attah said.