First Sky workers at the Dome-Kitase Road project site yesterday
The Dome-Kitase Road Rehabilitation Project which commenced in July last year and is scheduled to be completed in 24 months has seen major improvement since construction started.
Already, about 35 per cent of work has been executed, with workers racing against time to complete it ahead of schedule.
The project is being executed by Ghanaian construction company, First Sky Limited.
The Site Engineer and Manager, Jonathan Agyei Yeboah, told DAILY GUIDE that work is progressing at fast rate when the paper visited the site yesterday to verify allegations that the work is in limbo.
According to him, there is no iota of truth in the media publication that work has stalled, and that workers are not been paid.
The Dome-Kitase road, according to Mr. Agyei-Yeboah, has been progressing since it was awarded to the First Sky Group last year, where President Akufo-Addo cut the sod for work to begin. The project, when completed, will serve as an alternative route for road users between Accra and Aburi.
The workers, the site engineer explained, have been consistent with the work, adding, residents in Dome and its environs can attest to the fact that work has always been in progress.
Mr. Agyei-Yeboah stated categorically that no worker under any circumstance has been sacked because of unpaid salary, stressing that all workers are paid regularly, with casual workers paid on the 15th of every month.
“Casual workers per the company rules are paid on the 15th of every month and we don’t sack people just like that. It untrue that we have sacked workers and have also not paid them,” he emphasised.
Speaking to a casual worker on site, Eric Awuku Padi confirmed the earlier statement made by their manager. “We always receive our salary on time. Even sometimes workers who are unable to come to work due to some circumstances are paid the full salary,” he revealed.
Challenges
Mr. George Awuku, a Geodetic Engineer, highlighted challenges faced by the contractors on site.
He indicated that the electric poles to supply electricity to the homes of residents were mounted without recourse to the proper demarcation of roads, making it difficult for the construction to progress as planned.
“We fear residents will be deprived of electricity if not addressed in time. It is a hindrance to our work, and we have limited time to complete the construction,” he pointed out.
Mr. Awuku averred that efforts to engage the management of the Electricity Company of Ghana to address the issues have been unsuccessful.
“We have on several occasions tried to bring the officials of ECG to the site to address the issue but still nothing has been done, which is delaying our work,” he added.
Background
The 23-kilometer road that links Dome in the Greater Accra Region to Kitase in the Eastern Region includes (1) the Construction of a 16.3-kilometer two-lane single-carriageway with the asphaltic concrete surfacing. (2) Provision of a 2.8-kilometer asphaltic concrete surfacing dual carriageway arterial with auxiliary lanes for drop off/pick up on both sides.
(3) Provision of a one-kilometer, two-lane single-carriageway with asphaltic concrete surfacing for Ashesi University.
Other construction works to be undertaken on the project include total pavement rehabilitation, major drainage improvements along the stretch, and road safety features such as road markings and signs, streetlights, traffic lights, and pedestrian walkways.
The project is estimated to cost US$35 million and is funded by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and the Government of Ghana.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke