Work on the second phase of the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange which was suspended in May, this year, will resume when government concludes negotiation with its external creditors, the Resident Engineer, Owusu Sekyere Antwi, has assured.
The project which commenced in February 2021, was expected to have been completed March this year, however, work came to a halt due to government’s debt exchange programme.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Times last Wednesday, Mr Antwi who is also the project consultant explained that the suspension of work was more of a government directive rather than financial constraints.
He said “the loan acquired for the project is available to be used, but we need to respect the decision of our client who has asked us to hold on until it concludes discussions with its financial partners.”
The contractor, Messrs QGC UK Limited moved back to site about three weeks ago to start work, but subsequently withdrew from site dashing the hopes of the expectant public.
The public especially motorists and commuters have expressed worry over the long delay and called on the government to provide funding for the work to be completed.
Explaining the action of the Contractor, Mr Antwi said the contractor was on site to place a lot of pre-cast slabs that had been left at the mercy of the weather and dust on the bridge so that they would not deteriorate.
When the Ghanaian Times visited the site, only a skeletal workforce was on hand which the Resident Engineer stated was necessary to save cost, adding the rest would be asked to report when work resumes.
According to Mr Sekyere-Antwi, about 83 per cent of work had been completed and the remaining 17 per cent would take about six months to complete when the green light was given for work to resume.
He indicated that work on the bridge consisting the steel super and sub-structure as well as the pillars had been completed and what was left was the concrete works, which would take 21 days to cure after which the asphaltic laying would take place.
He said the storm drains in the area had been done and what was left was the drains from the SIC to Royal House Chapel and that of Korle-Bu.
Work on the 92 million Euro second phase project of the interchange undertaken by Messrs QGC UK Limited started February 2021 and expected to be completed in March 2023.
But the contractor could not meet the completion timeline in the wake of constraints that have compelled construction engineers to ask for an extension which was granted.
The project covers the third tier including work from the Interchange towards Abossey Okai as well as underground storm drains from the Hyundai stretch to Pamprom, near Kaneshie.
The additional storm drains provided are expected to address the perennial flooding in the area.
The first phase, valued at $35 million, was completed in November last year, five months ahead of schedule.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU
