President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inspected ongoing work on the two-tier Tamale Interchange, which has reached 80 per cent completion.
The President undertook the inspection of the project as part of his two-day tour of the Northern Region.
The Director of the Department of Urban Roads, Alhaji Abass Awolu, who took President Akufo-Addo on a tour of the Tamale Interchange, said the project with a total length of one-kilometre bridge and ramps, and five kilometres of ancillary road works, is 80 per cent complete.
He told the President that the interchange had 19 spans, out of which 13 and accompanying ramps had all been completed. Work is currently ongoing on the next 6 spans.
The other six spans are expected to be completed in the next three months, with ancillary works, mainly asphalting, street lighting and road safety works, all scheduled to be finished before the end of 2021.
Alhaji Awolu assured the President that the project would be completed on schedule, indicating that the contractor, M/S SinoHydro, is using two teams to undertake the works.
The Tamale Interchange is an integral part of comprehensive measures put in place by the Akufo-Addo Government to address the issues of congestion in urban centres, and to help improve travel times on major arterial roads.
Other interchanges being constructed include; the PTC Roundabout Interchange in Takoradi, the Nungua Interchange which is part of the La Beach Road Completion Project, the Adjringanor Overpass, where ongoing works will be completed by the first quarter of 2022; and Phase II of the Tema Motorway Interchange.
The Tema Steelworks Road, the only concrete road to be constructed by Government since the Accra-Tema Motorway, has also been completed. Similar works are also being undertaken within the Tema Industrial enclave.
The Legon/Adjringanor roads, aimed at improving travel times within that corridor, are 52 percent complete; the Kumasi Roads and Drainage Extension Project, which include; the dualization of the Lake Road and lining of the Sissai River Drain in Kumasi, is 75 percent complete; and the Teshie Link Road, popularly referred to as the LEKMA Road, is 90 percent complete.
President Akufo-Addo also inspected ongoing work on asphaltic overlays on sections of the road network in Tamale, in the Northern Region.
The contract, being undertaken by M/S Queroz Galvao Konstruktion, will see the construction of 100 kilometres of roads within the Northern, North East and Savannah Regions. Work commenced in March 2021, and is expected to be completed by September 2022.
18 kilometres out of the 40-kilometre road network in the Tamale Metropolis has seen the overlay of asphalt, with construction of the remaining 22 kilometres underway. 15 kilometres of town roads in Yendi will also have the construction of asphaltic overlays over them.
President Akufo-Addo also inspected ongoing work on the upgrading of the 30.2km stretch of the Tamale-Daboya road, specifically the Tali to Daboya from a gravel surface to a bituminous surface treated road.
The works include; earthworks to embank the road in low lying areas, construction of drainage structures to ensure that the road was drained and, therefore, does not fail prematurely, paving and surfacing works.
The contract for implementation of the works was awarded to Messrs Maripoma Enterprise Ltd, at the cost of GHȼ119,657,337.41 for completion in 36 months. The works commenced on November 16, 2020 and is scheduled for completion by November 16, 2023/
The project is expected to significantly reduce vehicle operating cost, and accidents, when completed.
It, (the project), together with the upcoming Daboya bridge project, would reduce travel time between major towns in the Savannah and Northern Regions, and improve access to socio-economic facilities such as markets, schools, clinics of the people living in communities along the project corridor.
The President ended his two-day tour of the region, with visits to Savelgu and to Tolon, where he called on the Paramount Chief of the Tolon Traditional Area m Maj. Suleimana Abubakari (Rtd).
He had at the beginning of the tour on Friday, visited Yendi, Bimbilla and Mion, with calls on the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari Mahama, and the Regent of Bimbilla, Nyab-Nyalibolinglana Yakubu Andani.
In another development, President Akufo-Addo will also undertake a two-day working visit to the Bono Region.
The President is expected to begin the visit on Tuesday, August 11, and would be paying courtesy calls on the President and members of the Sunyani, Berekum, and Wamfie Traditional Councils respectively.
According to a programme outline, the president would inaugurate the WEDD Africa Tomatoes Factory, a One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) project at Domfete in the Berekum West District and also inspect work on the 36-kilometre Wamfie-Adiembra road in the Dormaa East District.
President Akufo-Addo would also inaugurate the newly-constructed Ghana National Fire Service Bono Regional Command’s Headquarters building located at the Sunyani main garage site and a maternity block and mental health clinic at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital.
He would inspect the progress of work on the construction of the Sunyani Town Roads, being executed by the Syno-hydro Corporation of China.
On Wednesday, August 12, the President would inspect works on residential accommodation and the assembly hall complex at the Three Garrison Battalion (3BN) Liberation barracks at New Dormaa, Sunyani, and the Sunyani West Municipal Assembly block at Odumase.
President Akufo-Addo would also join mourners at the one-week observation rite of the late Mr Gabriel Kwame Awuah, a founding member of the NPP in the Bono Region and also Chairman of the Party’s Regional Council of Elders.
He would later pay a courtesy call on the President and members of the Chiraa Traditional Council in the Sunyani West Municipality and thereafter inspect work on the Chiraa-Akwaasua road.