Ashaiman MP to organise constituents to farm on untarred roads

MP for Ashaiman Constituency, Ernest Henry Norgbey, has threatened to lead a protest against the bad state of roads in the area.

"If after some time the roads do not see any improvement, we'll see if the roads could be turned into farms," he stated in jest to journalists in an interview, at the Parliament House, in Accra.

“We’ll plant bananas and plantains on these roads since the government has chosen to allow them to go bad."

This was after Roads and Highways Minister Kwasi Amoako Atta had answered questions related to the roads sector asked by some MPs on the floor of the House.

Mr Norgbey referred to his constituency as the United State of Ghana, explaining that, “All tribes and religions could be found there, ” and he wanted to know from the Minister when about seven of the roads in the constituency would be constructed.

These inner roads are : (i) Presby Junction — Police Junction Road (ii) Afari – New Town Road (iii) New Tulaku — Official Town Road (iv) Fitter Line Roads (v) Night Market Road (vi) Old Tulaku Roads (vii) Community 22 Roads and (viii) Lebanon Roads.

He said: “Drivers and commuters are tired of using these deplorable roads.”

Responding, Mr Amoako Attah said, “The Presby Junction — Police Junction Road being undertaken under the project titled, ‘Construction of Road and Paving at Jericho and Pink Lady under the Coastal Development Authority (CODA)’ is at 57.5 per cent physical completion.

“Work done to date is 450m long 600mm-diameter concrete u-drains, 200m of kerb works and 2,730m of sub-base and base works.”

The Minister, however, noted that the Contractor was currently inactive on-site due to financial constraints.

Mr Amoako Atta said the Afari-New Town Road was under the project titled, ‘Rehabilitation of Tema International School Road & Afariwa Link—Ashaiman’ at about 1.37km.

"The Contract for the above project was awarded on April 29, 2019. All measures taken to get the contractor to commence the works have proven futile,” the Minister said on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 13.

“When it comes to New Tulaku — Official Town Road & ‘Lebanon Roads’ titled “Rehabilitation of Annan, Ampere & Agbesi Close Roads (1.5km), the contract was about 92 per cent complete. However, the revised contract is at 18 per cent physical completion due to the inclusion of the additional works totaling 7.05km,” he added

“The contractor is currently not on site due to delayed payment for work done. The project commenced on December 6, 2016, and was scheduled for completion on December 5, 2017,” the Minister said.

“Two Variation Orders were raised on the project to ensure comprehensive coverage and the development of the community.

“Work done to date are 2,191.50m long 600mm-diameter concrete u-drains and 2.08km of road works subbase, base, primer-seal and sealing works.”

Meanwhile, there is no current program for Fitter Line Roads, the Minister said.

“The Night Market Road was undertaken under the project titled, ‘Rehabilitation of Night Market Road and Links, The Coastal Development Authority (CODA), the Contractor is yet to mobilise to the site to commence the works.”

“There is no current program for Old Tulaku Roads.

“On Community 22 Roads under the project titled, ‘Rehabilitation of Selected Roads in Community 22, Tema (8.98km), the project was awarded on 2nd July 2020. Works commenced on 31st August 2020 for completion on 28th February 2022.

“Progress of works is at 11% physical completion and the Contractor is on-site and works done to date 5.2km of base works & primer-sealing of new roads, and resealing of previously sealed roads.”

On the Construction of Road and Paving at Jericho and Pink Lady, Mr Amoako Atta said, the Department would liaise with the Clients, the Coastal Development Authority to get the contractor to re-mobilise to the site to complete outstanding works.

The Minister said other roads such as the Fitter Line, Old Tulaku, and Night Market, would be given to the Assembly to conduct an inventory on them and consider a budget for the same for future development.

Mr Norgbey told the media that he was not satisfied with the Minister’s response.

GNA