Hon. Amoako-Atta (2nd left) being briefed by the contractor, Eric Seddy Kutortse.
FIRST SKY Construction, the contractor working on the rehabilitation of the Dome-Kitase road, has promised to deliver the project in 14 months, 10 months earlier to the schedule.
Chairman of the First Sky Construction, Eric Seddy Kutortse, who made the promise, said the assurance is based on the pace at which the company is working.
“When we finish the vertical alignments, the only thing is to raise the sub-base and the base, and this is only a wearing course and then, we are done,” he told the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, and his team of engineers during an inspection exercise Tuesday.
“Per our programme, by the end of this month (October), we will cut the entire road formation,” he disclosed.
Mr. Kutortse stated, however, that the company’s major challenge was the developed areas where the road construction work involves a dual-carriage way, where the project affected persons would have to give them the right of way.
Hon. Amoako-Atta pledged the government’s commitment to help to take away the obstructions on the road to get the road done on schedule.
He said the Dome-Kitase Road, spanning 23 kilometres, serves as the alternative route of the Peduase Road to the Akuapim South District.
According to him, the road is composed of three sections and named them as Dome-Kwabenya, Kwabenya-Berekuso-Kitase, and the Ashesi University connection.
The minister revealed that the project was being funded by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and the Government of Ghana at the cost of US$35 million with a 24-calendar-month contract.
Mr. Amoako-Atta said the road is important to the government and the people of Ghana since it has wide settlements along the stretch.
“It should have been completed yesterday, but as it’s always said, it is better late than never. It is good that it is being constructed now by one of our best contractors in the country,” he posited.
“We believe the project is in capable hands. The contractor has assured me that he will be able to deliver the project within 20 months. I trust him when he says that. Because this is not the first work he is undertaking, his competence level is high,” the minister added.
Mr. Amoako-Atta and his team also inspected works on the Ofankor-Nsawam road project during which he expressed satisfaction about the progress of work.
The Ofankor-Nsawam road, which forms part of the National Route 6 (N6), is the most economic road in Ghana connecting the capital city, Accra, to the second largest city, Kumasi, the capital of Ashanti Region.
It also serves as a major arterial for communities in the Ga West Municipal Assembly, namely; Pokuase, Amasaman, Medie, Sarpeiman and others.
The 33.4 km road project has a contract sum of GH¢341.48 million, with a contract duration of 24 months.
It is being undertaken by Messrs Maripoma Enterprise Limited, and Associated Consultant Limited as consultant for the project.
The scope of works includes reconstruction of the existing asphaltic concrete pavement, expansion of the main carriageway from 2-lanes to 3-lanes including service lanes, provision of 11 no. safe pedestrian crossing facilities, provision of 4 no. interchanges, provision of adequate drainage structures and streetlights, as well as the provision of traffic signs and road markings.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu