The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Agbodza, has directed an immediate investigation into the deterioration of parts of the newly reconstructed Tarkwa-Agona Nkwanta Road.
The 66-kilometre stretch, which cost €95 million, has shown visible signs of damage just months after completion.
This discovery was made during his inspection tour of key infrastructure projects in the Western Region on Friday.
Project Manager Joaquim Ferreira explained that the early damage was primarily due to excessive overloading by heavy-duty trucks transporting manganese, bauxite, and other mining-related materials.
He warned that if such overloading continues, the lifespan of the road would be drastically shortened, undermining the significant investment made by the government.
In response, Minister Agbodza and his team conducted an unannounced inspection at the Apimanim axle load station, where five trucks were apprehended for carrying loads far beyond the permissible limit, with some exceeding the limit by up to 20 tonnes.
“There is no doubt that overloading is damaging our roads, and the axle load programme is problematic,” Agbodza stated during the visit.
To address the issue, the Ministry has established a five-member committee to investigate the operations of the axle load programme nationwide.
Agbodza stated that the committee’s findings would guide government efforts to reform the system and better protect the country’s road infrastructure from preventable damage.
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