Our bad roads and poor maintenance

The importance of good quality and durable roads cannot be overemphasised in any developing country.

Ghana has 16 administrative regions and the roads connecting the capital towns of these regions need urgent attention.

I am happy to note that the recent awards to companies to construct dual carriage by-passes on the Accra to Kumasi have started after the major initiatives of former President J. A Kufuor to dualise the three main arterial roads from Accra towards Kumasi, Cape Coast and Sogakope.

But Mr Minister of Roads and Highways, you will be the first to admit that despite recent efforts and some of the major achievements, we are still struggling on major roads.

The Accra to Kumasi road is riddled with dangerous potholes making drivers now drive on the side roads, particularly from the Kibi Junction towards Apedwa and Anyinam to the Nkawkaw Junction.

You constructed the Kwabeng to Tumfa road and ignored the Anyinam road, which is used by millions of Ghanaians.

The Sunyani to Chiraa road that goes to Techiman is dusty and seems abandoned.

The Kumasi to Sunyani road has seen some facelift, but the stretch from Akropong to Mankranso is so terrible.

The Takoradi road through Apowa to Agona Nkwanta is in a bad state.

The road from Accra towards Somanya needs urgent attention.

I am informed that the roads in the north, especially the main Techiman to Tamale, Wenchi to Bole and Wa to Paga via Chiana, are also all in poor states.

There is generally poor maintenance culture on the part of the Urban Roads and the Highways on even ceremonial and good roads in Accra, Kumasi and some major towns, such as, the Achimota to Ofankor road.

While applauding the government for all the interchanges in Tamale, Tema, Pokuase, Nungua (uncompleted) etc., and the good roads, including the Assin Fosu to Pra river crossing, Lake road and the overlays in major cities, you have not done well with maintaining the existing roads and finishing up what you started.

A strategy must guide the road sector after the collection of road tolls ceased.

I hope the motorway expansion will not be truncated.

Also, please do well to finish all the roads started by COCOBOD. That was not their responsibility, but they tried to help.

The government, through COCOBOD, was able to work on the Benchema to Asempaneye to Adjoafua road. It is still uncompleted though.

The people are waiting.

Yaw Kwafo,
Box AM 307,
Amasaman.