The government on Wednesday signed a 30 million Euro financing agreement with the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) of France, paving way for commencement of construction works on the 70 kilometre-squared Awoshie-Pokuase road. The project, which is to improve flow of traffic after completion, involves the delivery of basic services such as secondary roads, water supply, drainage, social facilities, markets and parks forming part of the upgrading of the communities. Its construction begins from the second quarter of this year and will be completed within five years. Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic, signed on behalf of Government of Ghana while Mr Bernard Botte, French Ambassador to Ghana and Mr Jean-Marc Gravellini, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Department of AFD signed on behalf of the AFD. Dr Duffuor said government attached importance to the project because it was in line with its programme to meet the identified infrastructure deficit in the country. He said the combined Ghanaian and expatriate contractors who would be working on the project would help enhance the skills of local personnel. Dr Duffuor said "this is not to suggest that Ghana lacks the requisite human resource to undertake tasks such as the construction of roads". We have the trained personnel but admittedly there are new ways to construction that one needs to always acquire from others in order to reduce the costs involved in the country which has a deficit". He expressed appreciation to the AFD for supporting Ghana in the execution of various developmental projects, notably Urban Environment Sanitation, Rice Sector Support among others. Mr Botte, on behalf of the delegation, assured government that AFD would continue to finance development projects that fell in line with its objectives to improve the lot of the people. Source: GNA