Kwasi Amoako-Atta
Parliament has finally approved the construction of over 660 kilometres of roads in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, Western, Volta, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and the Northern Regions with a Sinohydro facility of $646.6 million despite protests from the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the cost of the contract.
In approving the contract after heated debate on Monday, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta said construction of the roads would start in January next year because the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government is very concerned about the bad roads in the country and determined to improve road infrastructure to facilitate socio-economic development.
He said that out of the total road network in the country only 39 percent are in fairly good condition, with remaining 61 percent in a very bad state.
The Minority NDC strongly opposed the loan agreement due to huge cost of the project, high interest rate for the loan facility and absence of value for money audit report.
The ranking member of Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament, Governs Kwame Agbodza, who is also the NDC MP for Adaklu, argued that certain specific details of the contract were not provided at the committee level.
He said there was no breakdown on mobilization as well as general items for the execution of the contract, which would be undertaken by Sinohydro Corporation Limited, a Chinese contractor.
“The costs of procuring construction site and site photography are too huge, why should as much as $106,000 be used on photography for the project. The residential facility for the contractor would also cost as much as $720,000.”
The MP for Ho West, Emmanuel Bedzrah, also expressed dissatisfaction with the cost of setting up a construction site which would be $500,000, with $100,000 budgeted for its maintenance.
He also expressed worry over the expertise of the Chinese contractors whose track-record is not known.
The legislator bemoaned the decision of the government to overlook local contractors who have all the expertise to do a better job and rather award the contract to a Chinese company.
The Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, on his part, said that parliament should wait for the value for money report to be presented to parliament before the start of the contract.
“Mr Speaker, we are not against the construction of roads but I plead that we make the value for money report a major condition for the contract to start,” he said.
A Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwabena Owusu-Aduomi, who is also the MP for Ejisu, explained that the cost of the construction site includes setting up of a mechanic workshop for servicing and repair of construction trucks, laboratory and offices, which would be acquired in a metropolitan area so the cost is the true reflection of the cost involved.
The Minister of Roads and Highways also assured that value for money audit would definitely be presented to parliament for consideration and appealed to the minority members to join majority members in parliament to monitor the projects and insist on value for money.
The roads are to be undertaken in Trobu in Ga North, Anyaa Sowutuom in Ga Central, Dome/Kwabenya in Ga East and Teshie in Ledzokuku Municipality in the Greater Accra Region.
Others are the Kumasi inner city roads, Cape Coast inner city roads, Sunyani inner city roads, Adenta-Dodowa dual carriageway, Hohoe-Jasikan-Dodi Pepesu Road, Oda-Ofoase-Abirem Road, as well as some selected feeder roads in the Ashanti and Western regions.
Tamale and Takoradi Interchanges are also to be constructed under the priority road infrastructure projects phase one of the $2 billion Sinohydro barter Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA).
The minister also assured that all the major roads in all the regions would be considered under the project.
By Thomas Fosu Jnr