The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has directed the Ministry’s engineers to undertake an immediate assessment of roads within the Ga Mashie area of Accra following concerns raised by the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II.
Mr. Agbodza gave the directive during a courtesy call on the Ga Mantse at the Ga Mantse Palace in Accra.
The Ga Mantse had appealed to the Ministry to urgently address the deteriorating road network within Ga Mashie, describing the situation as a major challenge for residents and businesses in the area.
In response, Mr. Agbodza directed an engineer of the Ministry to work with representatives designated by the Ga Mantse to assess the road network within the affected areas and identify what could be done to improve the situation.
“I would direct that Engineer Amo, within a week, should work with anybody you assign to look at the network within the catchment area you talked about, so that we can see what we can do,” the Minister said.
According to Mr. Agbodza, the concerns raised by the Ga Mantse were not personal requests but matters affecting the wider public. He noted that the roads within Ga Mashie serve residents and other users and therefore deserved the attention of government.
The Minister disclosed that a significant portion of the Ministry’s urban road budget is already being spent in the Greater Accra Region, owing to the size and importance of the capital.
“We probably spend 70 percent of our urban road budget on Greater Accra. And rightly so, because it’s the largest city and it’s the most important city in our country,” he said.
Mr. Agbodza attributed some of the current challenges to years of inadequate maintenance, coupled with increasing traffic volumes in Accra. He said the government was implementing several interventions aimed at improving the road network and easing congestion in the capital.
The Minister also disclosed plans to improve connectivity between Tema and Accra, including efforts to dualise the road from Tema through Osu and towards the old Winneba Road. He said the intervention was expected to help ease pressure on the Kasoa road corridor.
Mr. Agbodza further assured the Ga Mantse that the government would take into consideration the cultural and historical significance of areas within the capital as road and other infrastructure projects are implemented.
“We are sensitive to our heritage as a people. We will not willingly or just carelessly destroy any place of historical importance to our city or to any part of our country,” he said.
The Minister described the Ga Mantse’s concerns as consistent with President John Mahama’s vision of improving Accra and assured the traditional authority of continued engagement with the Ministry.
The Ga Mantse, for his part, urged the Ministry to prioritise the rehabilitation of roads within Ga Mashie, describing the deteriorating network and congestion as a major concern for residents. He invited the Minister and his team to undertake a physical inspection of the area to better appreciate the challenges on the ground.
Story by : Belinda Anim-Piesie
