Chairman of the Select Committee on Roads and Transport, Kennedy Nyarko Osei, has thrown a challenge to the public to name any government in Ghana’s history that has constructed more than 3,000 kilometres of roads in its first four years in power.
He vowed to resign as the Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru Constituency in the Eastern Region if any member of the public is able to furnish him with such information.
“I have thrown a challenge out there that if anybody knows any government in the history of this country that has constructed more than 3,000 kilometres of roads in the first four years that person should bring that fact and I will resign as MP for my constituency,” he stated.
In an interview in Parliament on Wednesday 9th February, 2022 the Chairman argued if any Ghanaian government has demonstrated commitment in resolving and solving the roads’ problem, it is the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
The government, he said, has constructed more than 3,000 kilometres of roads in its first four years and needs more resources to complete the legacy projects that it has started.
Parliament, he said, has recently approved a €350 million loan facility for the construction of selected roads in the Eastern Region and construction of a bridge over the Afram River.
According to him, these are significant projects and an assurance the NPP government will spread development to every part of the country.
He stated that calls continue to mount on the government to construct roads but the only way the state can fund such projects is through borrowing or generating the resources internally.
He disclosed that the government currently owes contractors over GH¢5 billion from the Road Fund and more than GH¢3 billion at the Finance Ministry.
“If you put this together, it is over GH¢8 billion and you ask yourself how much was even allocated to the Roads Ministry in the 2021 budget.”
“How much was even allocated for 2022.” If we even want to use all these budget allocations to service these debts, we can’t even service 50%,” he said.
Hon. Nyarko Osei noted it is important to therefore accept to pay the E-levy once Ghanaians expect the government to construct roads.
He argued government cannot resort to borrowing every time to construct roads and queried, “How much can we even borrow to construct our roads?”
“In a year, we can’t even borrow up to US$2 billion to construct our roads, which is why it is important we discuss the E-levy dispassionately and put emotions aside,” he added.
He averred that the government has very good intentions for the state and urged Ghanaians to support the President to construct the roads and bridges that they need.
Source: Mypublisher24.com
