Construction of phase two of the Tema motorway interchange begins by November 2021 says Ministry of Roads and Highways.
This is as a result of the signing of an agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Ghana on Friday September 10, 2021.
Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, Himeno Tsutomu, and a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, signed agreement.
The minister lauded the Japanese government for its continued support to Ghana in different sectors including energy, agriculture, medical, and infrastructure, more importantly, road infrastructure.
He acknowledged that through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan is not only supporting the Tema Motorway Interchange project, but also the construction of a new bridge across the Volta River on the Eastern Corridor road.
“Upon completion, it is my hope that the projects would ensure safe, efficient road transportation and contribute to the efficient flow of goods and services as envisioned by the government of Ghana led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said.
Kwasi Amoako-Atta told the media after the signing of the agreement that the project will begin in earnest since the funds have been made available.
He explained that the agreement entails the financing of the phase two of the Tema motorway interchange project and rehabilitation of national trunk road N8 by the Japanese government.
According to him, “There is a company that executed the first phase. But it is not automatic that they will be elected to do the second phase. But whatever it takes, the contractor will come from Japan. Now that the agreement has been signed, the way is now opened for the project to start, so between now and November, the Tema Motorway project will commence for the second phase.
“The N8 which is the Twifo Praso- Assin Fosu is also in the second phase. The first phase links the Bekwai road and that has already taken off. The contractors are there as we speak and there are lots of work ongoing on there. There is no hindrance at all. Ghana is always proactive, and the President wants to see this action implemented.”
The phase 2 project is a continuation of the phase I project, which helped to improve the section of the road between Assin Praso and Bekwai.
The approximately $60million project is part of government’s international corridor road improvement plan whose objective is to facilitate trade within the West African sub-region.
The construction works involve the transformation of the parallel two-tier interchange into a three-tier interchange by a Japanese construction firm known as Messrs Shimizu Dai-Nippon.
This is expected to hasten turnaround time at the interchange. It is also, generally, expected to improve the capacity, safety, and efficiency of transport and freight on the Tema Motorway roundabout.
By Vincent Kubi