By Juliet Aguiar DUGBARTEY
Construction has begun on transforming the 23-kilometre Takoradi-Agona Nkwanta road into a dual carriageway, as part of the N1 Highway expansion. Awarded to Justmoh Construction Limited, the project includes the construction of four major bridges and numerous culverts, funded by GCB Bank PLC.
The project, slated for completion within 24 months, may be extended depending on additional work requirements from the client.
Pressure
The government has faced mounting pressure and public criticism for what appears to be neglect of the Takoradi-Agona Nkwanta section of National Highway 1 (N1), a critical route spanning from Elubo through Takoradi, Accra, Tema to Aflao.
The degradation of the road and the structural weakening of two major bridges resulted in the closure of the Ewisiejoe Bridge in the Ahanta West Municipality for repair works. Potholes and gullies along the route have caused numerous haulage trucks to overturn as they navigate through the oversized craters.
These instances led to the blocking of the road, sometimes for several hours and days on a few occasions. This situation brought untold hardships to the people and made the road unsafe to travel on, posing a serious threat to life.
Justmoh Construction Ltd.
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, announced amid pressure that the government had awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the road to Justmoh Construction Limited. However, this announcement was met with scepticism by a cross-section of the public, including the media, due to the lack of evidence.
Workers from Justmoh were observed on the road several months ago conducting remedial work on the Ewisiejoe Bridge. This sparked a new wave of criticism, with concerns raised that the contracted company had yet to commence work on the site.
The Chief Executive of the company, Dr. Justice Amoh, explained to the media that after the award of the contract, there were numerous processes to undergo during a site inspection before mobilising to the site to commence earthworks.
“The first phase of the project involves site handover, site evaluation, planning, survey work, soil/material testing, design, among other tasks. Currently, there are workers on-site conducting these activities,” he stated.
Appeal for cooperation
The Chief Executive of Justmoh Construction appealed to the public to cooperate and support the company.
“There will be some challenges and inconveniences to road users and communities along the route. We urge you to bear with us as we must go through such difficulties before the work can be completed for the benefit of us all,” he said.
Economic importance
The 23km Takoradi-Agona Nkwanta road is a crucial link connecting the Takoradi Port to the mining, goods and agriculture hubs of the Western and Western North Regions. It will streamline the transportation of export commodities to the port and facilitate the movement of imported mining machinery and equipment.
The stretch also connects the Agona Nkwanta-Elubo road, enhancing intra-African trade by facilitating the movement of goods and people to and from Ivory Coast.
