Front row: Amoako Atta (3rd right), Eric Kwakye Daffour (4th right) and Anthony Karbo, Deputy Roads and Highways Minister (3rd left) in a pose with regional highways directors
Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, who doubles as Member of Parliament (MP) for Atiwa West Constituency in the Eastern Region, has disclosed, “Thirty-nine percent of the condition rate of the road portfolio, which is about 72,000 kilometers nationwide, is in good condition, 32% in fair condition whiles 29% has been poor over the past five years.”
He indicated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has planned to improve the road industry since it remains one of the strategic sectors in Ghana‘s economy and facilitates the distribution of wealth through trade and employment opportunities.
Mr Amoako Atta made these known at a workshop organised by the ministry of roads and highways on strategic management in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, under the theme, ‘Preserving Asset to Facilitate Economic Growth and Job Creation.’
The workshop was also to serve the purpose of an appraisal to the industry to develop strategies that would enhance future performances.
Elaborating the theme, Mr Amoako Atta said it reflected the relevance of economic growth and job creation, adding, “The economic growth and job creation are relevant to the agenda of the current government to provide quality infrastructure through accelerated growth and expansion of road networks as well as preserving the investments made in the sector.”
He urged contractors to put in their best to help improve the road sector.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Daffour, reaffirmed that the development of every country depends on its good road network.
The minister, who is the MP for Nkawkaw Constituency, stressed, “Ghana had only 30,000 kilometers of road network by the year 2000. This figure however, rose by the end of 2008 to 67,000 and further increased to over 70,000 kilometers by the end of 2016.
“The Eastern Region for instance, boasts of about 60,000 kilometers of roads. Unfortunately, about 30% of the roads are in deplorable state. These consist of highways, trunk roads and feeder roads…..”
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua