I have built more roads than any gov’t in history – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Akufo-Addo has ranked himself highest above all presidents in the history of Ghana in terms of road infrastructure.

President Akufo-Addo, who is serving a second term, had declared 2022 as the ‘Year of Roads’.

In that regard, he said, “In the five years of my government, so far, more roads have been built, improved and upgraded than at any other equivalent period under any government in the history of Ghana”.

Delivering the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament on Wednesday, 30 March 2022, President Akufo-Addo said: “Some ten thousand, eight hundred and seventy-five (10,875) kilometres of new roads have been constructed in these five (5) years”.

He stressed that it was in the road sector that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has “registered the greatest infrastructure achievement”.

His comments come a day after he commissioned the Tamale Interchange.

“I considered it to be a most satisfying birthday present. We intend to continue with the building of roads around the country to accelerate the opening up of our country,” he said.

The Tamale Interchange is a pre-stressed concrete continuous bridge, with very few joints to enhance driving comfort. It has involved the construction of some 1.1 kilometres of roads on the Interchange, the provision of good drainage systems, the erection of streetlights, and ten (10) kilometres of asphaltic overlay around the Interchange.

It comes on the back of the sod cutting by Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia for the construction of the 100km Kumasi Inner City Roads.

Districts to benefit from this project, to be completed in 30 months, include the Asokwa, Kwadaso, Oforikrom, New Tafo, Suame, Mampong and Effiduase. Manhyia, Bantama, Nhyiaeso and Subin, all sub–metros within the Kumasi Metro, would also benefit from this project.

Construction of the Kumasi Inner City roads is part of the Sinohydro Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA), signed in 2018 between the Government of Ghana and the Peoples Republic of China, through Sinohydro Construction to address the severe infrastructure deficit in the country. Under Phase 1 of the Agreement, a total of 441km of roads and two interchanges are to be constructed in Lots.

The new road works complement ongoing construction being undertaken in Kumasi by Contracta UK, captured under the Rehabilitation and Auxiliary Infrastructure of Kumasi Inner Ring Road and Adjacent Streets – Phase 1, for which sod was cut in 2019. That project is 96% complete and will be commissioned by the end of the second quarter, according to the contractor.

On the records of road construction, Roads Minister Kwesi Amoako-Atta had said that during the first term of the NPP government, they initiated the construction of seven interchanges, five in Accra, one in Takoradi, and one in Tamale.

“You know there are seven interchanges that were started throughout the country. Five of them are in Accra, one is the interchange going on in Takoradi and tamale.”

He continued: “It has never happened in the history of this country. Asphalt overlay never happened in the history of this country, and if I come to bridges, never happened in the history of this country.”

“Right from independence, the seriousness attached to the road sector is unprecedented. and no government within a period of three to four years can match the feat of Akufo-Addo. and anybody in this country can challenge it, the figures are there, the statistics are there. And this is what Ghanaians are being offered,” he argued.

Sinohydro Project

Under Phase One of the Sinohydro Project, a total of four hundred and forty-one kilometres (441km) of roads and two interchanges were to be constructed, for which Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia commissioned the Lot 8 projects under the Sino Hydro Project, which involved the upgrading of sixty-eight kilometres (68kms) of selected feeder roads in the Ashanti and Western Regions, last Friday, 25^th March.

President Akufo-Addo noted that seven (7) interchanges, namely Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange Phase2; PTC Roundabout Interchange; Nungua Interchange -Part of the La Beach Road widening Project-Lot 2; Adjiriganor Overpass; Flower Pot Interchange; Tema Motorway Interchange Phase 2; and

Suame Interchange in Kumasi is either ongoing or planned to start this year.

Apart from the construction of the Interchanges, the Government said it has undertaken critical road projects to improve urban mobility across the country, which will reduce travel times on our highways.

These include the construction of some one thousand, two hundred kilometres (1,200kms) of asphalt overlay works in my first term of office.

Beneficiary cities include Accra, Kumasi, Tema, Cape Coast, Sekondi-Takoradi and Hohoe. In Accra, some of the areas that have benefitted include Weija-Gbawe, Dansoman, Abossey Okai, Osu, Adentan, Bubuashie, Sakumono and Mempeasem.

As part of the critical roads project, some selected roads in Tamale, Yendi, Walewale, Gambaga, Nalerigu and Damongo have been asphalted. The Ministry of Roads and Highways has programmed to complete one thousand, five hundred kilometres (1,500 kms) of asphalt overlay works between 2021 and 2024.

Other projects include the rehabilitation of the one hundred and six (106) kilometre Tamale to Yendi Road by M/S China Water and Electric; the rehabilitation of the sixty-two-kilometre (62km) Yendi to Zabzugu Road by China Jianxhi Ltd; and the rehabilitation of six hundred and seventy kilometres (670kms) of feeder roads in the Upper West Region.

The remaining are the reconstruction of the Tamale to Walewale Road Phase 1, which will improve the section between Savelugu and Walewale. Work will commence in the second quarter of this year. The section between Tamale and Savelugu shall be widened into a dual carriageway; commencement of the dualisation of the Sekondi/Adiembra Roads in Sekondi-Takoradi in the second quarter of 2022; rehabilitation of Agona Junction-Tarkwa Highway; and rehabilitation of Assin Foso-Assin Praso Highway.