Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, has proposed some temporary measures to rehabilitate the deplorable 7.2-kilometre stretch of road from Kpone to the Tema Oil Refinery area.
The Minister made the proposal during a working and mediation engagement with the Tema chapter of the Tanker Drivers Association of Ghana who had embarked on a strike over the poor nature of the road.
Mr Amoako Atta stated that the contractor had been asked to reshape the entire road and make it motorable for drivers and pedestrians in the meantime.
The Minister said an adhoc committee would be constituted, which would include representatives of the various tanker drivers’ unions, to serve as an oversight team to monitor and ensure that the contractor works according to the agreed proposals.
Although he admits the road construction has been slow, he assured that the project had not been abandoned since it was awarded to a contractor some two years.
Mr. Amoako-Attah assured the striking drivers that he would be visiting the road on a weekly basis until it is completed and fit for purpose for both domestic and commercial motorists.
Mr. George Nyayonu, Chairman of the Tema chapter of the Tanker Drivers Association of Ghana, told the media in an interview that the strike was not to embarrass the government but was to draw attention to the dangers the road poses to tanker drivers.
Mr. Nyaonu said tanker drivers endanger their lives, stressing that the state of the road has the potential to cause damage to their vehicles.
On the back of this, he was thankful that the Roads Minister has asked the contractor to fast track the construction of the road to avert unforeseen circumstances.
Tanker drivers embarked on a sit-down strike on June 26, 2023 to draw the attention of the government to fix the deployable roads to the various fuel depots across the country.
The union has since suspended the strike following a crunch meeting with the Ministers of Roads and highways and transport.