Long stretches of the project have been abandoned in recent months, with contractors citing a lack of funds for their inability to continue with the work.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5tEjRzJUjtaH7ctYOF8aDYnFuZGhLusK”]The situation has left the stretches in deplorable long hours on journeys that should otherwise have been taken in minutes.

However, the Ministry insists that they are working with the Ministry of Finance, which is currently preparing the 2018 budget, to ensure that the Eastern Corridor Road projects are earmarked for funding.

“As far as we are concerned, we are rescoping the work and looking at ensuring that by 2018, all these roads are captured in the 2018 budget, especially now when we are in the process of preparing a new budget,” a Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Anthony Karbo, told Citi News.

“Our Minister, the Minister of Finance and the relevant agencies are working around the clock to ensure that at least, more than 50% of the works on the road must begin and be factored into the 2018 budget.”

Anthony Karbo also stated that, the government will engage new road contractors to replace the current ones who have abandoned the project.

This, he believes, will enable work on the project to proceed in the new year, and alleviate some of the troubles of road users on the stretches.

“Many of the contractors have abandoned the sites because of lack of funds. We need to work out processes to ensure that those contractors disengage from the contracts and allow for new contractors to take over so that works on those projects can begin to go forward,” he said.

“Rescoping will also mean that the scope of work that they had would have to be looked at, vis a vis what they have done so far and at what point we want them to terminate for new contractors to take over.”

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The south-bound lane of the Peduase Lodge-Ayi Mensah road was closed in June 2016 but over a year later, work on the road is yet to be completed.

[contextly_sidebar id=”kx68LeaiIuMTZLPxH8IYCaNTjMFxRxzb”]The sector Minister, Kwesi Amoako-Attah, noted that the contractor working on the road was not given any money for the work at the time.

The contractor tasked to work on the project is expected to stabilize the slope and halt the fall of rocks, which now pose a danger to the traveling public, particular vehicles on the Aburi-Accra section of the road.

“The government at that time did not pay the contractor a pesewa… we came and paid the first tranche to him that made him do what he has done,” Mr. Amoako-Attah noted on the Citi Breakfast Show.

Work on the project thus had to stall, the Minister said, adding that circumstances compelled the Ministry to grant an another extension to the contractor.

“The job had to stall for many months and he had no money to go on until we paid the first tranche to him. He started going back and used part of the money to bring some items. There are some imported components of the materials that they are using so he came in from an extension and we had no choice but to extend the time.”

Mr. Amoako-Attah revealed that approval has already been given for the payment of a second tranche to the contractor, who has brought in materials for the project.

The Managing Director of CST Ghana, the company in charge of the project, Joseph Akyeampong, in March 2017, assured the timely completion should government honour its payment promises.

“We have given him time and there is no way he can go beyond December and by November ending, he should finish that project for us to open that side of the road,” Mr. Amoako-Attah stated.

The Peduase Lodge-Ayi Mensah road was constructed along the Aburi hills to connect the Accra to the Eastern Region.

But the lane was becoming a death trap because of the increased rate of falling rocks. Some observers had opined that the hill may give way soon if immediate steps are not taken to address the problem.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Peduase road works to be completed by December – Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Government had earlier complained that it inherited an 11.6 billion Ghana cedi debt in the road sector from the Mahama administration, hence there was no money to fix faulty roads or construct new ones.

“The debt overhang in the Ministry is huge; close to GH¢ 11.6 billion in commitments, all contracts put together and that is big,” Anthony Karbo, a deputy Minister of Roads told Citi News in August.

[contextly_sidebar id=”GO0pTr6dCrlmWqiKBr7fewm467bIgOUg”]In the latest development however, the Ministry of Roads and Highways in a public notice, announced that it has started receiving bids for the patching of potholes as well as sectional repairs on the 253 trunk roads nationwide.

“The Ministry of Roads and Highways, acting through the Ghana Highway Authority, invites sealed bids from eligible bidders i.e. MRH Classes A3-A4, to carry out routine maintenance works listed hereunder,” the Ministry stated.

Under the project, the Central and Ashanti Regions have the highest number of beneficiary roads with 52 slots each, followed by the Eastern Region which has 42 roads earmarked to be fixed.

Brong Ahafo Region has the third highest list earmarked roads of 24, Western Region, 16, Northern Region, 15, Volta Region, 15, Greater Accra, 14.

Upper West and Upper East Regions have the lowest number of roads under the project which are 12 and 11 respectively.

Gov’t conducts roll call of road construction companies

This comes on the back of moves by government to compile the list of road construction companies in the country.

The Ministry of Roads about two weeks ago, began “compiling names of prospective companies who have the expertise to undertake works in respect of the following activities: Road line marketing, construction of pedestrian guard rails, construction of crush barriers, maintenance of green areas, pot-hole patching and vegetation control.”

Osafo Maafo laments inflated cost of road projects

The NPP government had accused the former administration of awarding road contracts through restricted tendering.

Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, also on Monday, September 25, 2017, bemoaned what he calls corrupt practices within the country’s road sector.

According to him, some road contractors intentionally inflate the cost of roads, adding that, such practices have had adverse effect on the country’s funding sources.

Speaking at an event to officially commence the upgrade of the Accra-Tema Motorway on Monday, Osafo- Maafo said the cost of road construction in Ghana must conform to international standards.

“If you go to the score card of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, they describe the sources of our poor performance in the road sector. They talk about lack of adequate funds, technical know-how, but they also talk about corruption. It’s something we should also pay attention to. We must have value for money in the road sector,” he added.

Below is the full list of roads captured under the maintenance project:

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Gov’t to award contracts for repair of 253 ‘bad’ roads [Full list] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Abugri, who picked up the medal after defeating Mozambique’s Neuso Sigauque, in the 60kg bronze-medal match, said in interview with the Ghana Olympic Committee’s Media outfit that he could have gone for gold if the requisite experience has been there when he went into the quarter finals.

“Winning the medal was not easy because I had to use all that I knew based on the game plan and the preparations. However, in my second fight, I lost because of a lack of experience.

I have not been going to enough tournaments to build me up so I could not do much against my opponent (Daniel Le Grange from South Africa).”

The judoka, who is an electrician by profession, is looking at the forward and he has plans of making to the Olympics in 2016 but he has called on the state to provide the needed funds so that there could better means of getting ready for major tournaments.

“I am looking forward to the Olympics but the country must sponsor me to do that. The chairman of the Ghana Judo Association, Emmanuel Tetteh, has worked hard and he is always eager to put in a lot of effort for me to do well.

What I want is funding to purchase plane tickets and other things so I can participate in the various qualification tournaments and make it to the Olympics.”

Meanwhile, one of Abugri’s team-mates, Emmanuel Nortey has been expelled from the team after gross indiscipline towards the Deputy Sports Minister Vincent Oppong Asamoah  and other team officials on Sunday after receiving his allowances.

He claimed he was due a reimbursement of expenses he had incurred but the officials also stated that he did not present evidence or receipts of the said expenses.

He was said to have verbally abused the Deputy Sports Minister and the officials but he refused to apologise despite being prompted by his team-mates thus the expulsion from the camp.

His accreditation for the Games has since been withdrawn.

By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Razak Abugri beat Neuso Sigauque of Mozambique to win the bronze medal in the men’s 60kg at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Abugri was defeated by South Africa’s Daniel Le Grange in the quarter final but he got a chance to contest for a medal when he won against Brandon George of Wales in the repachage contest.

The repachage was to allow losers in the previous round to have a chance of qualifying.

The gold medal was won by England’s Ashley McKenzie after he defeated Navjot Chana of India in the final.

In the other weight classes, Ghana’s Alex Amoako lost his Round of 32 66kg preliminary round to Cyprus’ Andreas Krassas.

By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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