President Akufo-Addo has assured residents in the Volta and Oti regions that the government is committed to completing the Eastern Corridor Road.
He added that the progress of work on the various lots, particularly the ones that traverse the Volta and Oti regions is a testament to the fact that a number of them will be completed in 2023.
The President noted that unlike those who only paid lip service to the road, his administration is walking the talk and doing everything possible to ensure the road is completed to bring relief to residents.
The President committed on Monday, 12th September 2022 when he inspected ongoing work on the Asikuma-Have stretch of the Eastern Corridor Road.
This project is part of the 58 road projects being constructed in the Volta Region, out of which 129 kilometers have been completed.
Engineer Oliver Acquah-Techie, Chief Executive Officer of First Sky Construction Limited, the contractor of the project, noted that construction of the road which was awarded in September 2021 is progressing according to schedule.
Progress of Works on Eastern Corridor
The Volta Regional Director of the Ghana Highway Authority, Eric Dorsu, said the 45-kilometer Asikuma-Have stretch is scheduled to be completed in September 2023.
Secondly, “41 kilometers out of the 53 kilometers of the Have-Hohoe stretch which is being done by Greenhouse Construction has already been completed.”
More so, “22-kilometer of the 30-kilometer Hohoe to Jasikan portion has been completed. While the entire 56-kilometer Jasikan-Dodo Pepeso section has also been completed and commissioned by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia last week.”
Mr. Dorsu added that “Work is steadily ongoing on the Nkwanta-Kpassa and the Oti-Damongo sections.”
The Eastern Corridor is a 696km stretch that begins at Tema in the Greater Accra Region through the Eastern, Volta, and Oti regions to Kulungugu in the Upper East Region. It is the shortest route linking the northern part of the country to the south.
The Volta, Oti, and parts of the Northern regions have been in very bad shape for years. As most of the sections get completed, traffic and commercial activities along the stretch hope to improve as well as livelihoods.
Road Projects in Volta Region
Amongst the roads completed include 21 kilometers of asphaltic overlay of selected roads in Hohoe and Kpando Municipalities.
15.6 kilometers of bitumen surfacing of Akwettey-Adaklu -Waya Road; 20 kilometers of Bitumen Surfacing of Yorkitikpo-Kpoviadzi-Trepe Road; and the upgrading of 9.7-kilometre Liati Agbonyira -Fodome Author Feeder Road.
The 175-meter bridge on the Agbenoxoe-Dafor Feeder Road, which links communities between Kpandu, Dafor to Nkonya, has been completed.
The dualisation of the 10km main road between Sokode Gbogame and Civic Centre in Ho; the first major dual carriageway in the Volta Regional Capital, is 85 percent complete and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2022.
The government is also working towards the commencement of works on the Volivo Bridge and approach roads.
Work is expected to commence by the first quarter of 2023.
Tendering processes are also ongoing for the 39.2km Dorfor-Adidome-Asikuma Junction and the 23.9km Asutsuare Junction – Aveyime Roads, which will serve as approach roads to the Volivo Bridge.
The project is to be funded by the African Development Bank, with work expected to commence by January 2023.
From Fred Duodu, Kpeve (k.duodu@yahoo.com)