Minister Urges More Access Roads for Pokuase Commuters

By Lawrence Vomafa-Akpalu

The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, has urged contractors working on the Pokuase interchange to create more access roads to reduce the time wasted on that stretch of the road.

He said this when he inspected work on the 94-million dollar interchange at Pokuase, a suburb of Accra.

According to the minister, urgent action needed to be taken to ease the traffic congestion currently experienced by motorists.

"Even though the road is under construction the smooth flow of traffic would stop drivers from competing for space, and reduce the inconvenience the travelling public go through when using that stretch of road," he said.

Mr Amoako-Attah who was accompanied by some directors of some agencies under the ministry commended the contractors for working ahead of schedule, and urged them to continue in that fast pace to meet the 2020 completion deadline.

He said the project had been upgraded from its current three-tier to a four-tier status to ensure that vehicles making the u-turn to join adjoining roads had enough space to negotiate the curves.

The additional tier, he explained, would not affect the quality of work and would also not be of any extra cost to the state.

The minister noted that the project, when completed, would ease traffic congestion, and improve urban mobility, which would go a long way to benefit the numerous agro-industries located within the area and improve the socio-economic activities of the people.

Mr Amoako stated that the road would also provide vital links for sustainable transport infrastructure to reduce poverty, promote regional integration and make the country the transportation hub in the West African sub-region.

He said provision had been made for trees to be planted along the road in line with best international practices.

The project which started in July last year, involves the construction of a five- kilometre road from Awoshie to Pokuase; the construction of a two-kilometre road to link the Accra-Nsawam highway; and the construction of 10-kilometres of local roads.

The project being undertaken by Messrs China Zhongmei Engineering Group Limited, formed part of the Accra Urban Transport Project aimed at projecting sustainable economic growth for people in the area.

It is jointly funded by the African Development Bank and the government of Ghana and estimated to be constructed over two years to ease traffic congestion on the Accra-Nsawam road.

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