The new road under construction
Construction work on the Paa Grant Roundabout to New Takoradi Road in Sekondi-Takoradi, the Western regional capital, has started.
The Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA), in partnership with IBISTEK, is constructing the five-kilometer New Takoradi Road at a total cost of GHc28 million.
Kwame Adjei, consultant for the project, indicated that the project is expected to be completed within 12 months by Justmoh Construction Limited.
He explained that the construction of the road would be in two phases, adding that the first phase will cover the rehabilitation of existing road from the Paa Grant Roundabout through to the New Takoradi Roundabout to the Takoradi Port Gate 10.
“This section will be designed with different pavement structure. Concrete will be used as base and pavement blocks will be used on the surface, walkways and streets lights are all included in the design.”
The second section, he indicated, would be from the new Takoradi Roundabout, through the marshy area to Takoradi Container Terminal (TACOTEL).
Also, the TACOTEL Road will link the Sekondi Road to the various parts of the city.
“From the Paa Grant Roundabout to the Takoradi Port, there will be pavement blocks of high quality since most of the bigger trucks use the road in and out of the port.”
“Again, it will to serve TACOTEL, where they have to evacuate the containers from the port to the terminal, and based on the studies we conducted, asphalt will not last on this road and so pavement blocks which will be the best,” he added.
Capt. Ebenezer Afedzi, Director of Takoradi Port, explained that his outfit promised to construct the road for the people of New Takoradi about three years ago.
He indicated that the fixing of the road would go a long way to boost the local economy “since heavy-duty vehicles ply this road to GPHA, Takoradi Flour Mills, CARMEUSE Lime Products Ghana Limited, Manganese, GHACEM and Western Diamonds, among others.
Over 10 million tons of cargo was transported on the New Takoradi road last year and it’s expected that within the next two years when the road has been completed, we will have 20 million tons of cargo, Capt. Ebenezer Afedzi added.
He urged the residents in the community to be patient during the construction of the road to enable the contractor execute his job effectively and efficiently.
Nana Abekah, Chief of New Takoradi, pointed out that “I am happy to witness the construction of this road which has been full of potholes and dust over the past years.”
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi