The Minister of Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has given contractors working on the Kumasi Inner Ring Road project a two-month ultimatum to significantly accelerate work or risk facing consequences for failing to meet the expected pace of construction.
The Minister expressed concern about the slow progress of the 47-kilometre project, which has recorded only seven per cent physical progress despite almost 20 per cent of the contract period having elapsed.
Mr Agbodza issued the ultimatum when he inspected ongoing works on the project in the Ashanti Region and observed what he described as inadequate mobilisation of equipment, personnel and work gangs at the various project sites.
He said the current rate of progress was unacceptable for a major infrastructure project expected to improve traffic flow and provide an alternative route for motorists in Kumasi.
Catch up
The Minister said although the project had experienced some initial setbacks, including delays associated with compensation payments and access to some lands, such challenges could no longer be used to justify the slow pace of work.
He told the contractors that they had a responsibility to recover the time already lost by increasing their operations and working for longer hours.
“When time is lost, it is the responsibility of the contractor to catch up,” Mr Agbodza said.
He added: “We don’t have excess time anywhere to allocate to you. You are working within a regime where you can work 24 hours. You can work three shifts to be able to catch up.”
The Minister said the government would not entertain a situation where the project dragged on far beyond the agreed completion period.
He noted that maintaining the current pace of work could result in the project taking about three times the stipulated contract duration, something he said the government was unwilling to accept.
More work fronts
Mr Agbodza directed the contractors to immediately increase the number of active work gangs on all three project lots.
He said each lot should have at least two to three active gangs working simultaneously to ensure that construction activities progressed on several fronts instead of being concentrated on limited sections of the road.
According to him, concentrating construction activities on only about a 10-kilometre stretch was inadequate for a flagship project of such importance.
He urged the contractors to mobilise additional earthmoving equipment, construction machinery and personnel to ensure that significant progress was recorded before his next inspection.
The Minister said the project was expected to make a major contribution to easing congestion in Kumasi and improving connectivity between communities and major transport corridors.
Young engineers
Mr Agbodza also directed the contractors to review the composition of their engineering teams and create opportunities for young Ghanaian professionals to gain practical experience on the project.
He specifically encouraged the recruitment of young engineers, national service personnel and female engineers from institutions in the Ashanti Region, particularly the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
“We want to see the young engineers, including female engineers, working with you because we want the technology transfer and experience to remain in the Ashanti Region,” he said.
He stressed that the project should not only deliver physical infrastructure but also serve as a platform for building the capacity of young Ghanaian engineers.
The Minister said engineering personnel were expected to be actively involved at construction sites rather than remaining largely behind desks.
He urged contractors to ensure that young professionals received hands-on exposure to modern construction methods and project management.
Big Push project
Mr Agbodza further clarified that the Kumasi bypass project was a separate component of the government’s regional infrastructure programme under President John Dramani Mahama’s “Big Push” initiative.
He said the project should not be confused with the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway, although the two infrastructure projects would eventually form part of a broader and continuous road network.
He explained that the Kumasi bypass was designed to improve movement around the city and provide motorists with an alternative route, thereby reducing pressure on existing major roads.
Two-month review
Mr Agbodza said he would return to the project site in two months to assess whether the contractors had complied with his directives and substantially improved the pace of work.
He said the contractors were expected to use the period to demonstrate a clear turnaround in project execution through increased manpower, equipment and the opening of multiple work fronts.
The Minister’s inspection has therefore placed the contractors under pressure to deliver measurable progress before the next assessment.
He warned, in effect, that the government would not allow delays on a project considered critical to the development of Kumasi and the wider Ashanti Region.
The two-month period is consequently expected to serve as a crucial test of the contractors’ capacity to recover lost time and put the project firmly back on schedule.
