The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Agbodza has directed an immediate investigation into the alarming deterioration of parts of the newly reconstructed Tarkwa-Agona Nkwanta Road.

The 66-kilometre stretch, which cost €95 million, has shown visible signs of damage just months after completion.

This came to light during his inspection tour of key infrastructure projects in the Western Region on Friday.

The Project Manager, Joaquim Ferreira, explained that the early damage was primarily due to excessive overloading by heavy-duty trucks transporting manganese, bauxite, and other mining-related materials.

He warned that if such overloading persists, the lifespan of the road would be drastically shortened, negating the significant investment made by the government.

In response, the Roads Minister and his team conducted an unannounced inspection at the Apimanim axle load station, where five trucks were apprehended for carrying loads far beyond the permissible limit — in some cases, exceeding by up to 20 tonnes.

“There is no doubt that overloading is damaging our roads and the axle load programme is quite problematic,” Agbodza told the media following the visit.

To address the situation, the Ministry has established a five-member committee to investigate the operations of the axle load programme across the country.

According to Agbodza, the findings will guide government efforts to reform the system and ensure better protection of the country’s road infrastructure from preventable damage.