Reconstruction works on the 5.8 kilometre School Junction-Motorway road project in the Adentan Municipality in the Greater Accra Region is 70 per cent complete.
The GHC119, 745,570.44 project is awarded to a Ghanaian firm, Messrs Oswal Investment Limited.
The remaining 30 per cent would be done by the end of December this year, two months ahead of the scheduled completion date of February next year.
The managing director of the construction company, Mr Humphrey Williams, disclosed this when the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, during a routine inspection of some road projects in Accra on Wednesday.
The Minister was accompanied by the Director of Urban Roads, Amoo Gottfried, and other directors of the ministry and the Ghana Highway Authority.
The dual carriageway started in August last year is being constructed to provide a credible and easy access to the games village of the All African Games to be held in the country next year.
The project when completed would also reduce the travel time and improve safety for movement of goods and people within Ashale Botwe, School Junction, Nmai Dzorn, and Borteyman to the Motorway areas.
It involved the construction of four dual carriageways with asphaltic concrete pavement surface, access and service lanes, walkways, cycling lanes, storm drains, street lights, road signs and road markings, and expected to be completed in 18 months.
But, Mr Williams indicated that 5.4 kilometre of earth works have been completed on the main carriageway which involved excavation and collection of unsuitable materials and the area filled with boulders to formation level with stone base natural gravel materials.
He explained that about 4.8 kilometre of natural gravel sub-base and crush rock base have also been laid on both the carriageway and the service lanes awaiting the asphalting.
Mr Williams lamented the encroachment on some portions of the road corridor which he said was seriously slowing down their pace in the fast tracking of the construction of some service lanes and appealed to the minister to intervene.
The Director of the Department of Urban Roads, Mr Gottfried, who also briefed the minister said they were engaging the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to relocate the staff at the Animal Husbandry establishment.
He said about 75 per cent of utilities had been relocated and expressed optimism that the rest of the work would be addressed in the coming weeks.
Mr Amoako-Atta who was satisfied with the progress of work, commended Messrs Oswal for working ahead of schedule, and completing 70 per cent of the work in 12 months.
“This is one of the most serious local contractors we have in the country today, the Ministry would forever remain grateful. We are eagerly waiting to see the next six weeks that would give the area a face lift ahead of the All Africa Games,” he said.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU
