Government says a total of 500 kilometres of new road projects will be completed in the Ashanti region by December 2020 in line with its ‘Year of Roads’ initiative declared by President Akufo-Addo in 2019.

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Akwasi Amoako Atta who gave the assurance, noted that already, 460 kilometres of the new road projects under construction in the region are scheduled for completion and handing over by September this year.

Mr. Amoako Atta made this known in Kumasi at a media encounter as part of his three-day working tour of the Ashanti region.

The Roads and Highways Minister is in the Ashanti region mainly to inspect the progress of work on the construction of some road projects not only in the Greater Kumasi metropolitan area but also in other parts of the region.

On day one, the Minister first inspected the construction of interior road network of the Kumasi Courts Complex at Adum.

The project, which is being executed by Attarchy Construction company, a wholly Ghanaian entity, had seen a greater part already done with the remaining areas being worked on.

The Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Anin Yeboah, who had traveled to also see for himself the project execution, thanked government for embarking on the construction of roads at the various court premises.

The next port of call was at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where asphalting of the main car park at the Accident and Emergency Centre commonly called Kufuor Emergency was nearing completion.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital, Dr. Oheneba Owusu Danso, though was grateful for the project, appealed for the gesture to be extended to the premises of the over 44-year-old Maternity and  Baby Block as well as the drainage systems.

At the Suame Light Industrial Area also known as the Suame Magazine, a major economic enclave of Ghana, the Roads and Highways Minister told the Ghana National Association of Garages and artisans of the area that a contract has been awarded for construction to start immediately on 10-kilometres of the roads there in Phase One of a planned upgrade of the road networks in the area.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame, noted that despite the substantial contribution of the Magazine to the national economy, the roads there have been very deplorable.

Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu blamed the artisans partly for the bad roads within the enclave.

From the Suame Magazine, the Roads and Highways Minister was conducted around ongoing road projects within the Suame Constituency by both the MP and the Municipal Chief Executive, Dr. Bobie.

This was to enable Mr. Amoako Atta to know at first hand, the progress of work on those projects.

At an encounter with the media, the Roads and Highways Minister noted that, since the period spanning 1984 to 1989 when a total of 110 kilometres of asphaltic road construction within the Kumasi metropolis, nothing has been done to improve the state of roads in the city again hence government’s resolve to invest heavily in the sector now.

He noted that the fact is against the status of the metropolis as Ghana’s second-biggest city, a hub for commerce, industry and culture.

Mr. Amoako Atta disclosed that government is investing heavily in road projects within the Ashanti region noting that a total of 500 kilometres of roads covering all departments such as feeder and urban roads by December 2020.

The Roads and Highways Minister disclosed that phase one of the Sofoline Interchange project is almost completed save the provision of four more pedestrian Underpasses and safety signs.

Mr. Amoako Atta disclosed that from this year, government will start construction of four new interchanges in Kumasi at the present Anloga Junction, Airport Roundabout, Suame Roundabout and Santase roundabout towards easing vehicular traffic congestion within Kumasi.

He said government is presently working out the financing modules for the projects in addition to the funding from the China Hydro loan.