The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has assured the people of the region that the government remains committed to the improvement of the road network.
His assurance follows complaints by residents, motorists and passengers who use the Takoradi-Agona-Nkwanta road calling for improvement of the stretch.
Traffic
Currently, the 28-kilometre road between Takoradi and Agona-Nkwanta in the Ahanta West Municipality, which also distributes traffic from Nigeria, Benin, Togo, the ports of Tema and Takoradi towards Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia via Elubo and Tarkwa, is in a deplorable state.
Some motorists bemoaned the waste of productive hours on the road following the huge traffic jam they are forced to endure along the stretch due to widespread potholes on the road.
The distressed motorists and passengers are of the view that in some instances, sections of the road are washed away or have become very marshy, making it difficult for manoeuvring.
The motorists say as a result of the current nature of the road, they spend hours in traffic because of the marshy portions that require urgent attention.
Locations
On the Agona-Nkwanta to Takoradi stretch, from Kwesimintsim traffic light, many portions up to the gate of St Mary’s Boys School which recently got flooded, are in a deplorable state.
Again, due to the haulage of bauxite from Awaso and manganese from Nsuta, the movements of heavy mining equipment coupled with the transportation of goods to and from West African countries among others have led to the fast deterioration of the road.
When contacted, Mr Darko-Mensah acknowledged the countless and life-threatening potholes the motorists and passengers were complaining about, saying, “Let me assure again that the government is still on the road to make sure these bad roads are fixed.”
He said one of the roads that caught the attention of the government was the Takoradi-Agona-Nkwanta road, hence negotiation for funding started but stalled during the COVID-19 era, saying the process had restarted with a lot of progress.
Jusmoh Construction
“As we have started the discussions with the financiers as a matter of urgency, Jusmoh Construction, the construction company which did the initial repairs on the section of road at Apowa, has been assigned to carry out repair works on the stretch which is about three kilometres,” Mr Darko-Mensah said.
“I must assure the people of the Western Region and residents of Agona-Nkwanta who frequent Takoradi, workers who live beyond the enclave and have to move to Takoradi daily for work that plans are far advanced,” he said.
The financiers, he said, were back on the table and were more than willing. “We have and are almost concluded on the discussions,” he added.
Vital links
Mr Darko-Mensah said there were other road projects currently ongoing, adding that “the linkages to the interchange, from the foot of intersection on the Axim road stretch towards House Two, to the Shippers’ Council, through GSTS to the Paa Grant roundabout towards Sekondi to Inchaban, are progressing.
“Let me assure the people of the Western Region that the government will not neglect the region that makes a significant contribution to the development of the country”.
He added that it was important to note that the government would not neglect that stretch. “We are fixing Tarkwa-Agona Nkwanta road and Takoradi to Inchaban forms part of the linkage, so how can we neglect the stretch? Our fixing will make it even more better,” he said.
Currently, he said the regional coordinating council would ensure constant repair works on the road due to the rains.
