Mr Amoako-Atta (fifth from left) explaining a point to Mr Samara (second right)
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, has directed contractors working on the Tema Roundabout project to re-adjust their working time in order to work more at night than during the day.
That, he explained would reduce the inconvenience motorists go through as a result of the closure of sections of the road, due to ongoing re-construction works on the roundabout.
Mr Amoako-Atta, who was accompanied by officials of the ministry, gave the directive when he visited the project site last week Friday, to have firsthand information on the traffic situation, following public outcry after a heavy traffic jam last week Tuesday, that left motorists stranded for hours.
The GH¢28 million project, financed by the Meridian Ports Services (MPS) Limited, as part of its corporate social responsibility, involves the construction of four-by-passes to connect Accra-Aflao road, the Accra-Akosombo stretch, the Accra-Tema General Hospital and the Ashaiman- Tema-roundabout road all aimed at reducing traffic on roads leading to and from the Tema-Harbour.
In addition, four slip roads would be constructed to reduce the number of vehicles approaching the roundabout, and additional third lane to improve the entrance and exit from the Akosombo section of the road by widening it from the current single lane to double lane while existing double lanes would be widened to three.
According to the resident engineer, Mr Kwabena Brempong, the first phase has been successful, but the second phase which involved the creation and widening of the four slip roads run into some difficulty after portions of the road had to be blocked for the safety of motorists and pedestrians.
Mr Amoako-Atta said the government would support any entity or group that would promote development of the country, adding that he would “keep an eagle’s eye on the project, to ensure that all partners are satisfied with the outcome.”
The Chief Executive Officer of MPS, Mr Mohammed Samara, assured the minister that immediate steps would be taken to resolve the traffic congestion at the roundabout.
He said though enough measures have been put in place, more needed to be done to ensure that last Tuesday’s situation did not re-occur.
Mr Samara assured that the project would be completed on schedule, saying “the road would be officially opened in August.”
In a related development, Mr Amoako-Atta, inspected some roads in the Tema East Constituency, and assured of government’s commitment to rehabilitate some roads, including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) road, the Timber market road, Tema Oil Refinery road to the TT Brothers junction, into first class roads.
He was accompanied by Deputy Ministers of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwabena Owusu Aduomi and Mr Anthony N-Yoh Puowele Karbo, and Mr Titus Glover, Deputy Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Tema East and officials of the Department of Urban Roads.
By Lawrence Vomafa-Akpalu
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