Complete all projects under $2b Sinohydro deal in 30 months – Akufo-Addo orders
President Nana Akufo-Addo has served notice he would not tolerate delays in the various infrastructural projects to be undertaken under the 2 billion-dollar sinohydro agreement as he cut sod for commencement of work Wednesday.
Nana Akufo-Addo who could not hide his joy while launching the 2 billion-dollar agreement to kickstart work on the first ever interchange in Tamale, said all projects will have to be completed within 30 months from the commencement date.
Under the Master Project Support Agreement, Sinohydro Group Limited of China will provide 2 billion dollars of infrastructures of government’s choice in exchange for Ghana’s refined bauxite. Government is expected to set up a refinery that will refine the raw bauxite to be mined mostly from the Atewa Forest in the Eastern Region.
Ghana, the President stated, will witness what he described as a dramatic change in the coming months.
On the back of several government projects failing to meet completion deadlines, President Akufo-Addo said he would not entertain delays from contractors on the various projects to be undertaken, stating they will have “30 calendar months” to complete each single project.
“These projects are to be implemented on engineering, equipment, procurement and construction basis and will be completed within 30 months, within 30 calendar months after commencement,” Akufo-Addo stated.
President Akufo-Addo said he is certain the projects will create thousands of jobs across all the 16 regions where the projects will be executed.
“I’m excited about the prospects of this project for our nation,” Nana Akufo-Addo said when he launched the project in Tamale Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Nana Akufo-Addo has asked the implementing ministries and agencies to ensure strict supervision to make sure the contractors adherence to completion dates.
Also, he wants the contractors to be mindful of the environmental protection laws of Ghana as they execute their respective projects in order to mitigate the environment risk the project may have on the environment.
First phase
Each of the 16 regions will benefit from roads, hospitals, electricity extension, buildings for judicial service, industrial parks, landfill sites among other key infrastructure within the next two years, he said.
The first phase of the project will see Accra inner city roads, over 80 kilometres, improved, over 100 kilometres of Kumasi and Mampong inner city roads upgraded and construction of interchanges in Tamale and Sekondi.
The traffic prone Adenta-Dodowa road will be dualised while several kilometres of feeder roads in the Ashanti and Western North regions will be rehabilitated.
A total of 39 kilometres of roads within Sunyani and Berekum in the Bono Region will be upgraded under the first phase, while Prestea township roads will also be upgraded.
Source: 3news.com