The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), Baba Kassim has indicated that work on the Accra-Kumasi road will soon continue but not until the government honours its side of the bargain by releasing funds to defray the debt owed the contractor for the continuation of the project.
Mr. Baba Kassim disclosed on Peace FM’s morning show that the government owes the contractor a whopping sum of money. This, according to him, has slowed down work on that particular stretch of the Accra-Kumasi highway.
He revealed that government will have to clear its debt amounting to about US$60m before the contractor can resume work.
“Unfortunately, we owe him a bit and it’s not easy for him to mobilize funds unless we’re able to find some money for him;…government is very worried and is trying to put some money together so that the contractor can go back. We owe him close to 60 million dollars which is currently around 140 million cedis (180 million cedis currently).”
The construction of the Suhum-Nsawam section of the Accra-Kumasi Road Project, which links Accra to the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and the three Northern Regions, has stalled for nearly seven years, a development which is having a heavy toll on business activities of the good people of Suhum and its surroundings.
Commuters on that stretch of the road have had cause to complain about its terrible condition with commercial drivers who ply that route bearing the most brunt as their vehicle parts get damaged frequently whiles also seriously affecting economic activities.
Currently, work has come to a virtual standstill leaving many Ghanaians to wonder when the project would be completed.
The GHA Deputy CEO, in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Kokrokoo said the Highways Authority, under the auspices of the government, at a point in time failed to “raise the money to pay some of the certificates and therefore this has become a burden on him…unless we can find something for him, at least; not necessarily the whole thing for now.”
He however gave the assurance that the government is working around the clock to equip the contractor in order to begin construction work on the road.
