The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Jomoro, Dorcas AffoToffey, last Friday asked the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako-Attah, to explain why some road projects in her constituency have been abandoned.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the road from Samenya Barrier to Half Assini and New Town in the Jomoro Constituency would be completed”, the MP asked.
The Minister, in response, promised the Jomoro Legislator that execution of abandoned and delayed road projects in the Jomoro Municipality would be considered and captured under the 2024 budget.
“Mr. Speaker the Samenya Barrier to Half Assini road forms part of the regional roads 019, which stretches from Mpataba to the Ivory Coast Border. The road spans through Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region”.
“Already, the Samenya Barrier to Half Assini Road forms part of an ongoing project from Mpataba to Half Assini dual road measuring about 25 kilometres,” the minister said.
The Roads and Highways Minister, giving background information about the project, said work commenced on 25th June, 2020 to be completion by 24th December, 2022.
However, progress of work, he told the House, had come to a halt due to delay in payments.
“The block 2, Mr Speaker, work commenced on 26th June, 2020 to be completed on December 26, 2022.
“Physical completion is 26% and the Contractor is on site. Again, however, progress of work is slow due to delay in payments. The completion of works would depend largely on availability of funds.
“To the Newtown roads… Mr. Speaker, these roads, measuring 80 kilometres are feeder roads and form part of the Half Assini New town feeder roads. There was lack of suitable gravel materials. The contract has been curtailed due to lack of funds. The execution would be considered under the 2024 budget,” Mr.Amoako-Attah told the House.
But Legislator Affo-Toffey kicked against the minister’s position that the finance of the roads would be captured under the 2024 budget of the government.
Her reason was that the Government of Ghana was short of funds to construct the roads in question, as fast as her constituents would want it.
As a result, the allocation should rather be under the Ghana Gas social responsibility programme to construct such roads.
