The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the pace of work on the Ho–Hohoe road project, describing the performance of Greenhouse Construction Limited as inadequate despite some improvement since his last inspection.
During an inspection of ongoing works along the Eastern Corridor, the Minister confronted the contractor over what he termed insufficient investment and slow progress. He noted that although construction activities had increased since his previous visit, several sections where crushed rock had already been laid remained incomplete, with the necessary topping-up and binder application yet to be carried out.
Mr Agbodza also questioned the deployment of equipment, particularly the three pavers reportedly available for the project, and demanded an explanation for the limited progress recorded. He further criticised the contractor for failing to undertake routine pothole repairs along sections of the road.
Describing the contractor’s performance as the poorest among the sections inspected along the Eastern Corridor, the Minister insisted that the project must be completed within the original contractual period. He warned that the government would not grant any extension of time and could impose financial penalties for delays.
In response, representatives of Greenhouse Construction Limited attributed some of the delays to challenges with the supply of bitumen. They explained that the material had arrived on 10 September, but supply constraints had affected construction activities.
The Minister subsequently called on GO Energy to address the concerns raised by the contractor regarding its ability to supply the required quantities of bitumen. He warned that the government would explore alternative suppliers if the company could not meet demand.
The contractor proposed a revised programme involving the completion of binder works on designated sections within the remaining months of the year and the following month. However, Mr Agbodza questioned the proposed four-month timeline for completing the remaining 27 kilometres of binder works, arguing that the contractor’s stated daily production capacity should allow for faster execution.
He directed the supervising engineers to obtain a revised work programme from the contractor, insisting that the construction schedule must be determined by the project’s requirements rather than the contractor’s preferred timeline.
Story by : Belinda Amin-Piesie
