The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has cut the sod for work to commence on a 30-kilometre Cape Coast inner city road project to improve the road network situation in the area.
The project which formed part of the Synohydro facility for the improvement of infrastructure projects in the country was in response to numerous concerns raised by residents over the years on the deplorable state of roads in the city.
Among some of the communities that would benefit from the project are: Akotokyir, Kwaprow, Amamoma, Abura new community, English Arabic area, PPAG area, Amissano, Besakrom, Dankwakrom, Eyifua and Kakumdo, all in the Cape Coast North constituency.
It would involve drainage construction, earthworks and bituminous surfacing.
The completion of the Cape Coast inner city project would reduce the distances and travel times involved in the usage of the current routes which are longer and unattractive to vehicle users.
Dr Bawumia in an address before the sod-cutting, noted that roads had been issues that had confronted the country over the years.
He said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) prior to the 2016 elections told Ghanaians that the then government under President John Mahama had addressed the challenges associated with road network.
“They demonstrated the roads they have constructed in the ‘green book” but the roads were not there,” he said.
He gave assurance that the current administration under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would work in improving the road network in the country in line with its vision.
“We will carry out this assignment as we are doing with other initiatives,” he said.
Dr Bawumia further indicated that, the project being carried out include local content saying, “Local content have to be respected and would be respected”.
He further mentioned ongoing projects by governments which involve the construction of landing sites in 10 fishing communities across the coastal regions.
Additionally, he said that, the Coastal Development Authority had procured 5,000 outboard motors to be distributed to fishermen in the country.
The Paramount Chief of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osaberima Kwesi Atta II, in his remarks, expressed his appreciation to the government for initiating the project to improve the road network in the Cape Coast metropolis.
He however, pleaded with the government to consider initiating additional projects in the traditional area to help facelift the area and the region in general.
The Paramount Chief urged the contractors working on the project to consider employing residents from the area when they start recruiting.
In his address, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Shi Ting Wang, expressed China’s commitment to the development of the country and the African continent in general.
“China will always be a good friend of Africa,” he said.
He assured the gathering of China’s commitment in supporting the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda of the current government.
The Minister of Roads, Kwesi Amoako Atta, in his remarks, mentioned the Assin Fosu-Twifo Praso road and the Winneba-Agona Swedru roads as some of the roads that would be reconstructed next year.
From David O. Yarboi-Tetteh, Cape Coast
