President Akufo-Addo shaking hands with some officials
PRESIDENT NANA Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commended contractors executing government projects in the Tema Metropolis of the Greater Accra Region.
According to him, the contractors, especially the Japanese contractor executing the Tema Motorway Interchange, deserve some plaudits.
President Akufo-Addo expressed his gratification on Tuesday when he inspected progress of work in the metropolis as part of his tour of the Greater Accra Region.
“I am very happy with what I have seen here and I cannot hide my excitement. I will be visiting your government possibly this week and I will tell them the marvelous work Japanese contractors are doing here in Ghana. Like Oliver Twist, I will ask for more,” he gleefully stated.
He pressed the contractors to continue with the hard work and deliver on time as scheduled.
Briefing the President, Yujin Uemura, Project Manager of CTI Engineering International Co. Ltd, consultant of the project, indicated that progress of work is ahead of schedule.
According to him, excavating work to create the underground is over 90 per cent complete, adding that when that is done, the project would move faster than expected in terms of road construction.
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr. Kwesi Amoako-Attah, who accompanied the President during the tour, explained that the interchange is to replace the roundabout to help ease traffic congestion in the area.
The interchange, which was awarded on contract in July 2018, is expected to be completed in June 2020. It is being executed by Messrs Shimizu-Dai Nippon Joint Venture (SDJV), with CTI Engineering International Co. Ltd as consultants.
It is being funded with a grant from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at a cost of about $60 million.
Immediately after inspecting that interchange project, the President also inspected progress of work on a 5.4-kilometre Tema-Steel-Works-DVLA TOR Junction concrete road.
The concrete road project financed by the Government of Ghana (GoG) is being done by local contractors – Messrs Joshob Construction Company and Lemef Construction Limited.
The contract was awarded in June 2018 to pilot the construction of concrete road in the country. The project is expected to be completed in December 2019.
In conclusion, President Akufo-Addo cut sod for work to begin on the 22-kilometre Bankuman town road at Tema New Town.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema