The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Sunday, 10th June, 2018, ended his 3-day tour of the Western Region with an announcement of massive road constructions to be undertaken in the region this year.
According to President Akufo-Addo, despite the mantra of “unprecedented infrastructural development” touted by the predecessor Mahama government in the run-up to the 2016 elections, a major problem of the Chiefs and peoples of every region he has visited so far, including the Western Region, since becoming President of the Republic in January 2017, is the poor nature of road infrastructure.
In response to this, President Akufo-Addo, in the course of his Western Regional tour, cut the sod for the construction of the 24.3 kilometre Kojina-Chirano-Akoti road in Bibiani; the 25 kilometre Asankragwa-Fordjuorkrom road in Breman; and the 16 kilometre Kejibir-Mpohor road.
With the 71 kilometre Elubo-Enchi road, begun in 2011, not completed, and with contractors having abandoned site, President Akufo-Addo told a gathering of Chiefs from Nzema East, Ellembelle, Jomoro, Ahanta West, Kwesimintsim, Effia, Takoradi, Sekondi, Essikado-Ketan and Shama, that has secured funds to complete the road
“The 71 kilometre stretch of road from Elubo to Enchi will be financed by the Sinohydro financing facility – a facility which has been negotiated by my government. This will ensure that this road is constructed once and for all,” he added, to a rapturous applause from the Chiefs.
The President indicated also that the Sinohydro Facility will be used to construct an interchange at the PTC Roundabout in Takoradi.
“At a meeting on Tuesday, 5th June, 2018, Cabinet took the decision that all Sekondi-Takoradi town roads are going to be tarred, and it will begin this year. When I say Sekondi-Takoradi town roads, I am referring to all the constituencies in Sekondi Takoradi, including Essikado,” he added.
Other roads to be constructed with the Sinohydro facility include the Benchemaa -Nkwanta-Asuontaa-Oseikojokrom road; Ewiase-Bosomoise road; Wiawso-Amfie-Aboboyaa road; Asafo-Acheachen road;
Datano-Ahokwaa-Suhenso road; Asawinso-Kojina-Essakrom road; Kessekrom – Adiembra road; and Penakrom-Futa road.
The construction of the 27 kilometre Sanko to Cape Three Points Road, a request made by the Omanhene of Dixcove, Obrempong Hima Dekyi IV, the President said, has had engineering studies completed by the Ghana Highways Authority, and the procurement processes for the road will be completed soon.
Fertiliser Pant, GNPC HQ
In fulfilment of a campaign promise in 2016 for the establishment of a fertiliser plant in Jomoro, President Akufo-Addo told the Chiefs that “at long last, we have now been able to complete the negotiations with the Moroccan Government.”
He continued, “The Moroccan company, OCTP, which is the largest fertiliser producing company in Africa, has been in Ghana on 3 separate occasions, and very soon we will announce plans for the construction of the fertiliser plant in Jomoro.”
On the manifesto pledge to site the headquarters of the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) in Takoradi, President Akufo-Addo noted that the Board of GNPC has made the decision that the Operational Headquarters of GNPC in Takoradi.
Touching on the financing of projects in the 1-District-1-Factory initiative, President Akufo-Addo revealed that enterprises that are going to have an export content are being supported by the EXIM Bank.
“Soon, we are going to get the Ghana Commercial Bank, and the Venture Capital Fund to pull together to be able to support the 1D-1F project. This will ensure that financing, which is a major problem, will be solved. 1-District-1-Factory is going to have a major impact on the development of our country, and we are determined to do it,” he added.
Earlier in the day, President Akufo-Addo inspected ongoing works on the construction of the sea defence wall in Dixcove, and urged the contractors to complete the project on schedule.
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(Nana Kwesi)