LEKMA Road to be completed on schedule; workers give assurance

Work on the Teshie Link Road is progressing steadily and the project looks set to be completed on schedule.

The 7.5-kilometre stretch, popularly referred to as the LEKMA Road, connects the Spintex Road through the Manet Estates, Agblizaa and Teshie Lascala, thereby serving as a major link to the Accra-Tema Beach Road and the only alternative route to the Spintex Road.

 It is being constructed by Messrs DSR Holdings Inc, a company based in Dubai, which has set a June 2020 dateline for its completion.

Work so far

When the Daily Graphic visited the project site, it observed that the once dusty road had been tarred, with one side of the dual carriageway being used, while the first phase of asphalting was ongoing on the other side, particularly on the stretch before the LEKMA Hospital through to the Spintex Road.

The surfacing had been done and it had been given the prime coat in preparation  for the asphalt to be laid.

On the main LEKMA Hospital stretch too, the Daily Graphic observed that the construction of pavements and gutters had begun.

At various points on the stretch, work was progressing. For instance, the construction of a bridge had begun at the Teshie Orphanage that led directly to the main Teshie Beach Road.

Unlike in the past when traders on the stretch had to close their stores to prevent dust from covering their wares, stores had been opened for business when the Daily Graphic paid the visit.

Relief

Speaking on the road project, a nurse at the LEKMA Hospital, Juliana Kumi, said the ongoing work on the road had come as a big relief, as it had helped resolve the challenges the hospital faced in the past.

“Previously, when you visited this hospital, the first thing to welcome you was dust. You could see that the whole place was covered with dust from the road, not to talk about the deplorable nature of the road, which discouraged many people from accessing the services at the hospital.

“That  affected the hospital in so many ways; but now the situation has been addressed and it will help patients to easily access the services of the facility,” she explained.

A taxi driver, Emmanuel Ashitey, said: “When this road was in a bad state, I was spending more on car maintenance, I had to visit the mechanic almost every three days, but now for the whole of this month I’ve not had any challenge with my car. I’m sure the same applies to my colleague drivers. We are much grateful that our plight has been resolved.”

A private driver also said the construction of the road had helped ease traffic and travelling time and expressed the hope that the work would be completed and not stopped along the way, as happened in the past.

“They are not done with the other side and so we are forced to use the completed one. Sometimes they put sand in the middle of the road and if you are not careful you may crash into an oncoming vehicle when you get to that side. This is not safe and early completion is what we are yearning for,” he said.

Traders who have their shops directly opposite the hospital also commended the contractor for working within time to resolve the challenge on the stretch.

“The work is not completed, but at least the road has been tarred and it has resolved the issue with the dust in the area that affected us so badly. At least, now we can go about our business safely,” Naa Atswei Sowah, a shop owner, said.

Background

The road was the subject of grave concern to many residents of the area and the public until the government selected a contractor to complete works on the road.

Before the government’s intervention, residents and commuters alike staged series of demonstrations over the poor shape of the road, decrying the potholes which kept increasing in size and depth by the day, as well as the unbearable dust it generated.

Patients visiting the LEKMA Hospital had to endure the discomfort of bumpy rides on the pothole-ridden stretch.