Work to resume on cocoa roads — Amoako-Attah

Construction works on cocoa roads in the country is to resume next month after it was suspended by the government, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah, has announced.

He said the ministry had taken over the implementation of the projects which were previously being undertaken by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).

Work on those roads were suspended when the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government assumed office in January 2017.

Event

Mr Amoako-Attah made the announcement at a durbar of chiefs and people of the Nkoranza Traditional Area to round off a two-day visit by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the newly created Bono East Region where the President paid courtesy calls on the chiefs of Amantin, Atebubu, Abease, Yeji, Prang, Techiman, Kintampo, Jema and Nkoranza.

He also held town hall meetings at the various places he visited and briefed the people on government policies and programmes.

Project

The minister explained that the resumption of work on 10 of the suspended roads would commence at the beginning of next month, May 2019.

Mr Amoako-Attah, who, together with President Akufo-Addo and his entourage, travelled on one of the beneficiary roads, a 30-kilometre (KM) Jema Nkwanta-Nkoranza road to the durbar grounds, said work will resume on the first 15 kilometres of the road which would be among the first 10 cocoa roads to be worked on.

The minister also mentioned the Atebubu-Kunfia-Dromankese-Busunya road, the Busunya town roads, the Dromankese and Nkoranza town roads as other road projects which had been earmarked for rehabilitation.

Mr Amoako-Attah further explained that, besides the government’s main agenda on infrastructural development, a special programme for the six newly created regions had been drawn up to accelerated the development of those areas.

Commendation

President Akufo-Addo commended the chiefs and people of the Nkoranza Traditional Area for their show of maturity when Techiman was chosen as the capital of the Bono East Region, although some of them had reservations about the choice.

“I know you received the news with bad feelings but maintained your calmness in the interest of the objectives for the creation of the Bono East Region and I thank you for that decision.

“The government will not concentrate development projects and offices of decentralised departments in the regional capitals alone,” the President gave an assurance.

Appreciation

The Ag President of the Nkoranza Traditional Council, Nana Okofo Agyeman, expressed appreciation to the government for the introduction of various social interventions in the country.

He, however, appealed to him to ensure that work actually commences on the cocoa roads in the area. Nana Agyeman also advised chiefs and people in the region to unite for accelerated development.