The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has expressed disappointment over the poor execution of sections of the Asikuma–Have Road project, revealing that approximately 28 kilometres of road already paid for by the state will have to be reconstructed because of substandard workmanship.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the project in the Volta Region under the government’s Big Push road infrastructure programme, the Minister described the situation as unacceptable and called for stricter supervision of road contracts across the country.
According to Mr. Agbodza, the Eastern Corridor Road project was initiated during the administration of the late President John Evans Atta Mills to provide a shorter transport route linking southern Ghana to the northern parts of the country through the eastern corridor. However, he noted that the project has suffered years of delays, interruptions and inconsistent progress.
He reiterated President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to ensuring that the entire stretch of the road is completed before the end of his current term in office.
The Minister disclosed that sections of the road constructed by a previous contractor were executed so poorly that they now require extensive rehabilitation before the final wearing course can be laid. He stressed that the defects are not the result of the road reaching the end of its design life but are instead due to poor construction quality.
Mr. Agbodza cautioned engineers and project supervisors against approving substandard work, reminding them that public funds must be protected through rigorous quality assurance.
He said engineers have a professional responsibility to stop contractors whenever work falls below the required standards instead of certifying payments for defective projects.
Describing the cost of reconstructing the affected 28-kilometre stretch as a significant financial burden on the state, the Minister noted that the resources required to redo the road could have been used to construct entirely new roads in other communities.
Mr. Agbodza also challenged officials of the Ghana Highway Authority and other agencies under the Ministry to ensure that the current phase of construction meets the highest engineering standards so the road delivers long-term value for money.
The Minister further questioned why the contractor has not yet commenced the wearing course on parts of the project, explaining that the Ministry will first review proposed contract variations before approving the next phase of works.
He also directed officials to address encroachments within the road reservation, particularly around a filling station located along the project corridor, stressing that such developments should not be allowed to obstruct the execution of the road works.
An engineer with First Sky Construction Limited says work on the Atimpoku–Asikuma section of the Eastern Corridor Road is progressing, with significant milestones already achieved despite technical adjustments to the project.
According to the engineer, the resurfacing works have reached about 73 percent completion, while binder and wearing course works have been completed on a 5.7-kilometre stretch, where road markings have also been installed.
He explained that a change in the reconstruction method became necessary after challenges were encountered with the initial pavement design. As a result, the existing binder layer will be removed and replaced with a new one before the final wearing course is laid.
The engineer disclosed that the contractor has submitted revised cost estimates for the additional works and is awaiting approval to continue reconstruction on the remaining sections of the road.
The inspection forms part of the Minister’s tour of ongoing road projects in the Volta Region aimed at assessing progress, identifying implementation challenges and ensuring value for money in the execution of critical national infrastructure.
Source: myxyzonline/Belinda Anim Piesie
