Chinese contractors working on the rehabilitation and expansion of the Sunyani inner-city roads project have promised to deliver quality works and complete the project as scheduled.
Mr Lieo Xiaozhun, the Deputy Manager of the Project, being executed by the Sinohydro-Corporation, said despite emerging challenges, works on the 39-kilometer stretch, which covered Sunyani (29 kilometers) and Berekum (10 kilometres) Municipalities were progressing, saying very soon bitumen works on the Sunyani portion would commence.
The Deputy Manager gave the promise when he conducted Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister and a team of engineers from the Urban Roads Department round the project sites in Sunyani on Thursday.
Mr Xiaozhun therefore asked residents in the regional capital to remain calm, saying quality and excellence remained the trademark of the Sinohydro-Corporation.
President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia cut the sod for the work to begin on the 29-kilometre Sunyani town roads in September 2020.
Work on the 30-month project, costing the nation about US$45 million commenced in December last 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2023.
It forms part of the rehabilitation and expansion of major roads across the country being funded under the Sinohydro agreement the Akufo-Addo government signed with Sinohydro Corporation and the Chinese government.
About eight major suburbs and a total of 26 communities under these suburbs in the Sunyani Municipality are benefiting from the project.
They included Agyei Ano (Dr. Berko), Mayfair, Baakoniaba, New Town, Berlin Top, and Penkwase areas’ roads, as well as Estate inner link roads.
The project also captures specific roads in the Berekum Municipality, which would also witness massive expansion and rehabilitation works.
Mr Jacob Nelson, the Bono Regional Director of Urban Roads Department, later told Newsmen work done so far on the project was about 31 per cent.
He said though 41 percent of the contract period had already elapsed, from all indications, the contractors would be able to meet the deadline, because they were almost through with the major works, saying 41 percent of drainage works had also been completed
Mr Nelson explained major works, including construction of five culverts, on the nine-kilometre ring road from the Jubilee Park to the Fiapre roundabout were expected to be completed in March this year.
On her part, Mad Owusu-Banahene said though she was highly impressed about the progress of work, and appealed to the contractors to speed up, saying “what my people want to see is the bitumen on the road”.
She also commended the Urban Roads Department and the Municipal Development Collaborative, the project consultants, for their excellent monitoring role and asked residents to continue to cooperate with the contractors.
On completion, the Regional Minister indicated the project would not only beautify, but would further open-up the capital, attract investors, thereby facilitate trade and commerce for rapid socio-economic growth and development.
The Regional Minister and the team of engineers, later inspected progress of work on the rehabilitation of the Kuotokrom-Yawhima dual carriage stretch, and commended the Sames Company Limited, the contractors for the progress of work.
Mad Owusu-Banahene indicated that this particular stretch remained one of the busiest roads in the region, saying any delay would slow down economic activities.
Mr Samuel Kwabena Opoku, the Chief Executive Officer of the Sames Company Limited explained about 13 kilometers of drainage work had been completed.
He said construction work on the project commenced in 2020 and promised to complete the project by the close of the year.
To control dust, which residents along the road described as a great worry, Mr Opoku promised to continue watering the surface thrice a day, and appealed to the residents to cooperate and assured them to speed up work.
Source: Modern Ghana
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