President Nana Akufo-Addo has stated that he would not tolerate any delays in the execution of infrastructural projects under the 2 billion-dollar sinohydro agreement with the country.
The president made this remarks when he launched the phase 1 of the Sino Hydro Master Project, where he cut the sod for the construction of an interchange for Tamale, the first in northern Ghana.
The Sinohydro Group Limited of China will provide 2 billion dollars of infrastructure in exchange for Ghana’s refined bauxite from the Atiwa Forest in the Eastern Region.
Addressing the chiefs and people of the region at the Jubilee Park in Tamale, President Akuffo Addo indicated that each of the 16 regions will benefit from sinohydro’s arrangement such as hospital projects, extension of electricity to rural communities and construction of court and residential buildings for the judicial service, landfill sites and industrial parks.
President Akuffo Addo cautioned that he expects these entire contracts to be completed within 30 months from the commencement date.
“I’m excited about the prospects of this project for our nation,” Nana Akufo-Addo said when he launched the project in Tamale on Wednesday.
The President Akuffo Addo also said government is also ensuring that in accordance with the local content law, a minimum of 30 percent of works will be undertaken by Ghanaian contractors and supervised by Ghanaian consultants.
Nana Akufo-Addo has asked the implementing ministries and agencies to ensure strict supervision to make sure the contractors adherence to completion dates.
Also, he wants the contractors to be mindful of the environmental protection laws of Ghana as they execute their respective projects in order to mitigate the environment risk the project may have on the environment.
First phase
Each of the 16 regions will benefit from roads, buildings for judicial service, industrial parks, landfill sites among other key infrastructure within the next two years, he said.
The first phase of the project will see Accra inner city roads, over 80 kilometres, improved, over 100 kilometres of Kumasi and Mampong inner city roads upgraded and construction of interchanges in Tamale and Sekondi.
The traffic- prone Adenta-Dodowa road will be dualised while several kilometres of feeder roads in the Ashanti and Western North regions will be upgraded.
A total of 39 kilometres of roads within Sunyani and Berekum in the Bono Region will be upgraded under the first phase, while Prestea township roads will also be upgraded.
Traditional rulers including the overlord of Dagbon; Ya-NaaAbubakari Mahama II, the Yo Naa Yakubu Abdulai Andani, the Mion-Lana Mahamadu Abdulai, the Sagnarigu Naa Ambasador Abdulai Yakubu Andani among others were at the event.
In his address, the minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako Atta rallied the support for the chiefs and people to ensuring that the interchange project is completed on time.
Cue support contractor
The overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari Mahama, in his address read on his behalf, commended the president for his commitment towards the development of the region and assured him of their support throughout the project’s execution stages.
Source:Diamondfmonline.com/Alhassan Yakubu
