President Nana Akufo-Addo has commissioned the newly constructed 45-millimetre span bridge on the River Birim and the reconstructed 41-kilometre Kwabeng-Abomosu-Asuom highway.
The commissioning was done over the weekend as part of the President’s tour of the Eastern Region.
The commissioned project, which started on September 5, 2019, and was scheduled to be completed by September 5, 2022, was completed two months ahead of schedule by the contractor for the project, Messrs First Sky Construction.
In a brief presentation during the commissioning, a bridge engineer with the Ghana Highways Authority, Koshie Lamptey, in explaining the project to the President, noted that works on the 41km road project included the provision of cross drainage structures of various sizes at low lying areas and water crossing points, provision of road safety infrastructure to improve overall safety on the road, provision of u-drains in all the major towns along the corridor and trapezoidal drains at major cut sections along the road.
Other works, she said included the widening of the existing road to the standard 10.3m width, including shoulders, improvement in the vertical and horizontal alignment to improve overall safety and provision of pavements with high-quality materials to international specifications.
President Akufo-Addo, who unveiled a plaque to commission the projects, said he was impressed about the excellent and quality work done and commended the contractor, Messrs First Sky Construction while urging the company to keep up the good work.
Executive Chairman of the First Sky Group, Mr Eric Kutortse, assured the President that the project, which commenced in May 2020 and scheduled to be completed by May 2023 was well on course and would be delivered ahead of schedule.
“The project is steadily progressing and we can assure you that it will be completed on time schedule,” Mr Eric Seddy Kutortse said.
In a related development, President Akufo-Addo also inspected works on the 33 Abirem–Ofoase Kuma road also being undertaken by Messrs First Sky Construction Limited, which is about 93% complete.
The New Abirem-Ofoase Kuma stretch is part of the 112km Nkwakaw – Akim Oda corridor.
The Kwabeng-Abomosu-Asuom road leads to major cash and food crops producing areas within the corridor.
The road had sections in very deplorable conditions that required urgent reconstruction to facilitate the social and economic life of the communities along the stretch, reducing travel time and vehicular costs.
The reconstruction of the 41km Kwabeng-Abomosu-Asuom corridor was executed to a double bituminous surface dressed finish in addition to the new 45m 3-span reinforced concrete bridge on the River Birim with 200m section across the bridge finished with an asphaltic concrete layer.