The Roads and Highways Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, has told Parliament that the planned redevelopment of the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle here in Accra will commence soon.
The redevelopment of the roundabout which links Accra Central, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Kaneshie and Fadama, he explained would ease the traffic congestion on those roads.
In an answer to a questioned asked of him in Parliament yesterday, Mr Amoako-Atta explained that work on the project had delayed because the condition precedent for the commencement of work, as contained in the contract was that the contractor commenced work only if it received advance payment from the government.
Progress, he said, had so far been made to meet that contractual obligation.
“The contractor received the advanced payment on December 20, 2018 after the client and contractor met all the conditions for coming into force of the contract,” he revealed.
Disclosing that the contract was a design and build deal, the Atiwa East Member of Parliament said “the contractor has since commenced the design stage.”
The option study report, he said, had been submitted to the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) on March 8, 2019.
Mr Amoako-Atta said both the DUR and the Ministry of Roads and Highways were reviewing the design.
The contract for the design and construction of the interchange and other ancillary works was signed in October 2016 for completion in 24 calendar months.
The phase one of the project consists of a two-tier interchange with storm drains and culverts beneath the Graphic Road.
The second phase would see the widening of the roads into a three-lane dual carriage way with provision for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) facilities.
This phase would also see to the widening of the Awudome Cemetery and Nii Teiko Din (Pamprom Junction) Roads into a dual carriage lanes as well as improvement of the Kaneshie Market Terminal.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
