Traffic into Kumasi township from the Kwadaso Market has been diverted as one of the retaining walls on the Sofoline Interchange project has collapsed.

The 10-meter long concrete retaining road wall connecting Kwadaso, Edwinase, Denkyemuoso, Ohwimase, Agric into the Ashanti regional capital fell loose on Tuesday evening after a nine-hour downpour.  

Officials of China Geo Engineering Company, who were contracted to build the road told Joy News’ Ohemeng Tawiah work has begun to clear the hanging wall.

Consultants on the Sofoline Interchange Project, ABP Consult, are blaming government for endangering the lives of motorists and other road users who use the road.

According to them, the two -way dual carriageway does not meet safety requirements because it lacks the required signage.

Quantity Surveyor, Stephen Soshie, warned that motorists and pedestrians have to adopt personal safety measures whilst using the road which has only a traffic light.

He said government’s failure to pay the contractor should be blamed for the situation.

“We had to construct an interceptor drain at the top of the retaining wall but there has been a long break due to financial challenges, so we have not been able to do that.

“This creates a situation where water, which should have been directed into a drain floods the area, putting pressure on the retaining wall,” he explained.  

The wall which is 10 meters width and eight meters height has since been pulled down.

The contractors claim they have not been paid since 2014 with the latest payment of $5 million out of the close to $40 million debt owed by government.

The Sofoline Interchange project, a three-year project started in 2007 but 11 years down the line, the project is 75% complete.