Management of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta Regional capital of Ho has lamented the bad state of access roads to the main campus.

This poses a great challenge to the institution’s contribution to the fight against the spread of the coronavirus by providing rapid testing of samples of suspected cases. 

Construction of access roads and Inner range road networks which was awarded in 2012 had stalled for over three years due to the unavailability of funds. 

As part of conditions for the construction of the University’s School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, with funding from China, government was obliged to finance construction of inner range road network and provide utilities. 

Construction of the 17.3 kilometres road network was subsequently awarded to Uffuya Ghana limited. 

Works begun on the network in 2012, and was expected to be completed after 18 months. 

Within a 4 years period, only 8.3% of the ¢41.6 million project was done.  

60% of the Inner range road network was cleared, while first seal was applied to about a kilometer of the network. Drains and walkways along the sealed section have not been completed. 

The contractor in December 2016 packed out of site abandoning the project, leaving the roads to deteriorate by the day. 

The UHAS Director of Works and Physical Development, William Vidogah, explained that the delay in completing the inner range road network might affect commencement of the construction of the Central administration and the School Nursing and Midwifery. 

“One of the Pre conditions for the China phase two project which is the construction of the Central administration and the School Nursing and Midwifery, is the construction of access roads. As you can see the access road to the site is yet to be done.”

“That can affect the start of phase two of the project. There was supposed to be a road and drainage on both sides,” he added. 

Following the emergence of the coronavirus in Ghana, UHAS was certified to test suspected samples to diagnose Covid-19. 

This makes the institution a major stakeholder in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus in the Volta and Oti Regions. 

However, the deplorable state of the abandoned Sokode-Titrinu bypass and inner range roads impedes efforts by the institution to ensure suspected coronavirus cases are rapidly diagnosed for early treatment.

The bypass which was also awarded for construction in 2012 has since been abandoned by First Sky Construction Limited. 

Drivers who transport suspected coronavirus samples to the lab indicated that the state of the road does not only affect their vehicles but puts their lives at risk.

“Sometimes the boxes which contain the sample open because of the bumpy nature of the road,” said William Torwogbede, a driver with one of the health facilities in the Volta Region.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Science, Prof John Gyapong grieved the deteriorating state of the institution’s access roads is affecting academic works. 

He laments failure by the government to put the roads in shape could jeopardize efforts in achieving objectives of the University. 

“The current state of our road is very terrible, I wonder whether there is any university in the whole wide world with such roads.

"Faculty are always complaining, our research staff are always complaining and even for those of us who have the privilege of using four-wheeled vehicles, it's just not possible to traverse certain portions of the road, especially when it rains. This is affecting teaching, research and service delivery.”

He addaed that “it’s such a big problem, we really need immediate intervention, otherwise teaching and learning is going to grind to a halt in this university.”

The University of Health and Allied Sciences was established by Act of Parliament (Act 828) in December 2011).