The President says the claim by the Mahama administration that it embarked on unprecedented infrastructure projects during its tenure is fictional and only exists in the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Green Book.
This, President Akufo-Addo said, is the reason why his government promised to invest heavily in roads as not much had been accomplished in the sector as claimed by the former president, John Mahama.
Speaking when he commissioned the first phase of the Tema Motorway Interchange Project, the President said, “we made a pledge to the Ghanaian people to expand and improve the road network while closing the missing links in the network.
“We had to make this pledge because we know that the so-called unprecedented infrastructure development of the Mahama administration was fantasy; existing in the Green Book and not on the ground,” he added.
The $57-million Tema Motorway Interchange project is being financed under a grant from the Japanese government under its Japanese International Cooperation Agreement (JICA).
The interchange would facilitate easy movement from Accra to Aflao and onwards to Togo, as well as improve transportaion on the road leading from Tema to Akosombo.
It is part of the West African Corridor Development Growth Ring Master Plan which is being implemented by Shimizu-Dai Nippon Joint Venture (SDJV), with CTI Engineering International Company Ltd as consultants.
President Akufo-Addo said it was impossible to overlook the dire need for infrastructure projects like roads, as they are critical to the development of the country and to enhancing the growth of key sectors of the economy.
With a situation where the upsurge of vehicular traffic coupled with rapidly increasing urban population are putting a lot of pressure on facilities in cities, especially on roads infrastructure and sapping productivity, President Akufo-Addo said the completion of phase one of the Tema Motorway Interchange Project is such a welcome development.
His administration intends to do more before the year ends.
The Tamale interchange, Tema-Gomoa road, Oboasi town roads, Sampa-Jinjini road, Atebubu-Kwame Danso road, Twifo Praso-Assin Foso road, Lekma road, Suhum-Asamakese-Oda road, Nalerigu-Bushiri road, Wa-Bulanga road, among others, are all on government’s radar.
“Government has secured funding for them and virtually all of them are going to be completed before the end of this year,” President Akufo-Addo disclosed.
Phase two of the Tema Interchange is scheduled to commence in the last quarter of 2020.
It will see the transformation of the current two-tier interchange into a three tier and hasten further the turnaround time at the intersection.