Works on Tema roundabout interchange 60% complete

• Posted on August 30, 2019
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

Construction works on the Tema roundabout interchange is progressing steadily with over 60 percent of the project complete, Mr Yujin Uemura, the Project Manager of Shimizu-Dai Nippon JV has revealed.

Major concrete works on the project were 85 per cent complete with the remaining percentage expected to be completed in the next couple of days.

Briefing a section of the press during a tour to the project site on Wednesday, Mr Uemura said drainage systems and pedestrian footbridges were in their completion stages with over 70 per cent of the work also done.

He said work on the road segment of the project, which had delayed due to the concentration on the concrete aspect of the project had also been intensified to facilitate the completion of the project on schedule.

The project which is estimated to cost US$ 57 Million is funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through its Official Development Assistance (ODA) grants.

The tour was to highlight some of the major projects the agency was undertaking in Ghana to mark the seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) conference currently ongoing in Yokohama, Japan.

It was also to give journalists first-hand information on the progress of work on the project to enhance their reportage.

“Now the road work is going to speed up because now the concrete works are almost finished, so it will be followed by the road work. Currently, the road work is about 50 per cent complete but from now till the end of the project, the road work will be the main activity,” he said.

The project is aimed at improving the capacity of the roundabout and its adjoining roads, improving the safety and efficiency of transport in the Greater Accra region as well as to provide an uninterrupted traffic flow to facilitate trade and transit in the West African Sub-region to enhance economic growth.

The three layer interchange is expected to have an underpass on the east-west (Accra to Aflao) stretch, a signaled intersection at the middle level, an 11.72km stretch of road, a 19.4km drainage system, and four pedestrian bridges.

The project, which commenced in February last year, is expected to be completed in June next year.

The Project Manager, however, said he was optimistic that the project would be completed within the stipulated time.

“Looking at the rate at which we are working, I think we are almost on schedule, a little bit ahead so we want to keep up with this pace until the end of this project and we hope that by 6th of June, 2020 we will complete our project,” Mr Uemura said.