Concern is mounting among commuters and drivers using the Ofankor-Nsawam stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway as MessrsMeripoma Enterprise Limited requests an extension of time to complete the ongoing road project.
The 33.4-kilometre expansion and rehabilitation project, which commenced in July 2022 and was expected to be completed in July 2024, has already missed its initial deadline.
With barely two months the July completion deadline, the contractor has again indicated that it will be impossible to complete the project.
The development has sparked a new wave of frustration among road users.
According to them, they had endured years of traffic congestion, dusty and muddy roads, damaged vehicles and rising transport costs.
A visit by The Ghanaian Times to sections of the stretch on Wednesday, including Amasaman, Sapeiman, Sasam, Hebron, Medie, and Dobro, revealed deep potholes, muddy surfaces, and heavy vehicular congestion, particularly during peak hours.
Some of the commercial drivers spoke to The Ghanaian Times expressed concerns over what they described as the slow pace of work, stressing that the rains had worsened the situation in recent weeks.
A commercial driver, Kwame Opoku said the road had become almost unbearable with the onset of the rains.
He said travel time on the stretch had more than doubled, affecting his daily sales as well as increasing the cost of maintaining his vehicle.
Another driver, Yaw Mensah questioned whether the project could realistically be completed this year.
He said that although he had been seeing work ongoing for some time, the amount of work left on the ground suggested that the project would not be completed by the end of July as stated by the contractor.
“This contractor is not serious, the pace of work could have been faster if they work day and night. You hardly see them on Sundays. Even the number of people you see working everyday shows that the contractor is playing with our lives,” he said.
“What is even annoying is the Police barrier at Dobro. By 6 pm the Police will erect their barrier causing so much traffic. What do they do, just chasing motor riders and asking drivers anything for the boys,” he alleged.
He said “we are appealing to the Inspector General of Police to direct for the removal of the barrier in the meantime. They can come back when the project is completed or move the barrier away from the present location.”
Some commuters also complained about the effect of the poor state of the road on their health, businesses and daily activities.
A trader who travelled frequently between Accra and Amasaman, Madam Efua Owusu said the worsening condition of the road had increased transport fares and affected trading activities.
She said commuters spend long hours in traffic while some vehicles also break down frequently due to the poor nature of the road.
Similarly, Isaac Tetteh, also a commuter appealed to the authorities to compel the contractor to speed up work before conditions deteriorated further with the rains.
Meanwhile, officials supervising the project have disclosed that the road is currently 82 per cent complete.
The Chief Resident Engineer of Associated Consultants, the consulting firm on the project, Mr Kwabena Bempong, confirmed in an interview with The Ghanaian Times that the contractor had formally requested another extension of time.
According to him, it would have been impossible for the contractor to complete the project by July this year considering the current level of work done.
Mr Bempong said discussions were still ongoing regarding the duration of the extension being requested.
He attributed the delays partly to compensation-related challenges.
The Resident Engineer (Roads), Mr Thomas David Arthur on his part said efforts were being made to minimise the inconvenience to motorists.
He explained that the contractor had regularly carried out maintenance works such as pothole filling, grading, shaping and compaction on the unpaved sections to improve traffic flow and riding conditions.
Mr Arthur said the contractor had also been directed to promptly repair potholes caused by the rains to facilitate the smooth movement of vehicles.
He disclosed that the Pobiman flyover was expected to be opened to traffic by the end of June 2026, while the Medie flyover was expected to be completed by the end of July 2026.
Mr Arthur further stated that preparations were underway for construction works to begin on the interchange at the Nsawam bypass after compensation issues affecting properties within the project area had been resolved.
The Ofankor-Nsawam road project forms part of the Accra-Kumasi Highway under the National Road Six (N6) network.
The project includes the construction of interchanges, flyovers, bridges and footbridges at Amasaman, Pobiman, Medie and Nsawam Junction.
It also involves the expansion of the road into eight lanes from Ofankor to the Pokuase Interchange and 10 lanes from the Pokuase footbridge to the Nsawam bypass.
When completed, the project is expected to ease traffic congestion along the Accra-Nsawam corridor and improve transportation and economic activities along the stretch.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
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