…as 5 regions sensitized against encroachment
Ghana is expected to host over 50% of the six (6)-lane Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway with 567km out of the entire 1,028km highway with construction expected to start in 2024. Ghana’s portion of the highway which is the largest among the five countries will be passing through some five (5) regions in Ghana including Volta, Greater Accra, Eastern, Central and Western Regions.
Chiefs and stakeholders including MMDCEs, Local Planning Authorities, Police, Immigration and Customs personnel located in the host communities of the or highway in all the five (5) regions were sensitized on the proposed alignments of the highway and advised to lead a crusade against development along the aligned areas as well as desist from encroachments.
Co-chairing the sensitization workshops, Ing. Mrs. Rita Ohene-Sarfo who is a Director of Policy planning and Budgeting at the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Director in Charge of the Abidjan-Lagos Highway Project Implementation Unit for Ghana emphasized the importance of the Highway Project to Ghana’s economy and the overall African Economic Integration under the AfCFTA.
“The Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway is a part of the larger Lagos-Dakar Corridor. So, we are going to have an entire Corridor where you can get up and drive from here all the way to Dakar, Senegal, Liberia and all those places with a regional transport system.”
Ing. Mrs. Rita Ohene-Sarfo urged the traditional leaders, local government authorities and community planning and development agencies to support ECOWAS and Ghana through the Ministry of Roads and Highways to ensure a successful implementation of the corridor highway project in order to improve the transportation infrastructure systems of Ghana and its neighbors which will lead to improved economic integration among the countries. “This is part of the entire African Continental Free Trade and we are working with the AfCFTA Secretariat to get joint border posts. We have one with Togo, Benin has one with Nigeria and we are hoping to have these joint border posts which is part of a system we are adopting to reduce delays along the corridor.” She added.
In Takoradi, participants including paramount chiefs expressed hope that the project will start as scheduled. Ing. Collins Donkor, Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Development at Ghana Highway Authority assured the Chiefs and stakeholders of prompt compensation to loss of livelihood.
During the sensitization in the central region where about ten (10) districts may be hosting the highway, Chiefs in the region described the project as a “panacea to their economic development”.
The traditional leaders re-emphasize the need for prompt payment of compensation following any negative impact.
Ing. Mrs. Mercy A. Payne, the Central Regional Highway Director and member of Ghana’s Project Implementation Unit explained that “the five (5) ECOWAS Member Countries are obliged to make available parcels of land on each side of the highway for the Right of Way (RoW) and therefore the corporation of the chiefs will be paramount.”
Mr. Kingsley Adjei Boahene, the Chief Director at the Central Regional Coordinating Council said the highway has the potential to attract economic benefits of about 17% to Ghana thus the central region should prepare to harness such prospects. “The Highway connects most of the economically viable cities in West Africa as well as sea ports connecting the landlocked countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. It aims to facilitate transportation on the corridor which carries more than 75% of Trade volumes of West Africa.”
Ing. Frederick Aduagyei, a Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Administration of the Ghana Highway Authority asserted that although the road is important to Ghana and ECOWAS, the community in which it passes becomes a direct beneficiary. “Your land will appreciate in value, your communities will benefit from ancillary works and you will have many other economic opportunities. Therefore we need your cooperation, Nananom, MCEs and DCEs to avoid encroachment”
In the Volta Region, Chiefs and stakeholders welcomed the Corridor Highway, applauded Ghana for its commitment and ECOWAS a “laudable iconic project” and assured their maximum support.
Ing. Nana Pomaa Karikari, a Chief Engineer at the Ministry of Roads and Highways and a member of the Project Implementation Unit of Ghana revealed that “ the Highway would bypass Accra at about 15km East of Winneba to Miotso and then through the Volta Region to end at the Akanu Joint Boarder Post in the Ketu Municipality”.
Chief Director of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Dr. Abass Awolu (Ing.) on behalf of the sector minister urged Traditional, Planning and Local Government Authorities of the various stakeholder Ministries Departments and Agencies to acknowledge the significance of the corridor to Ghana and West Africa’s development and offer their maximum cooperation for its implementation.
“It is important that as traditional and local government authorities, MMDAs, you understand the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Project and what it means for us and factor that in your developments because in the end, there will be compulsory acquisition of the Right of Way (RoW)” The Chief Director, Ministry of Roads and Highways emphasized.
