TEMA CONTRACTORS ADVISED TO SPEED UP WORK (PAGE 8, JULY 5, 2010)

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, has appealed to contractors engaged in the rehabilitation of roads in Tema to speed up in order to ease traffic congestion and provide a conducive environment for drivers and pedestrians.
He urged them to work faster to complete work within the scheduled time.
Nii Armah Ashietey, who inspected sections of the 53-kilometre roads currently under construction in the Tema metropolis, expressed concern about the slow pace of work and the bad nature of the roads which was an inconvenience to the driving public.
On the Kpone stretch from the Valco Roundabout through the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) road, the contractor, Mr Kobby Lartey of Kob Construction, was behind time and had done 25 per cent of work instead of 40 per cent.
The Metropolitan Roads Engineer, Mr Stephen Attipoe, who conducted the Regional Minister around on the inspection tour explained that there was a change in the scope of work, leading to the delay.
He said the initial work was changed from ordinary rehabilitation to a complete road project because it was realised that the road needed to be made to stand the test of time, as heavy duty trucks plied it constantly.
Mr Attipoe said the Tema Oil Refinery had contributed $100,000 for work on the frontage of the plant because of the regular movement of trucks there.
He disclosed that the rains had revealed some defects in the work so far done, and that the contractor had, therefore, been directed to raise the side to divert water flow.
Construction work on the Republic Road was progressing and the contractor, Mr James Cuddle of the Lagna Constructions, said it was essential to asphalt the road in the next stage of work. He was optimistic the work would be completed by the end of next month.
The Roads Engineer, Mr Attipoe, told the Regional Minister that Tema Roads had not been re-constructed in the last 40 years and that it was necessary to ensure that a good job was done so that the roads would last for the next 20 years or more.
At the Community Three junction linking the Harbour –Meridian road, beach road – Nungua barrier and the Community Two road, Mr Attipoe said the contractor, Eagle Star Constructions, had almost completed work on the Lashibi road.
He noted that there were plans to change the beach road to a dual carriageway which the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) had promised to assist but the work was continuing because of the delay in the fulfilment of the promise.
Mr Attipoe said work on most of the Tema roads would be completed by the end of July, 2010, noting that there were plans to patch roads which were not included in the rehabilitation package.
He said the major roads rehabilitation was being funded by the Government of Ghana. The Vice-President, Mr John Mahatma, cut the sod for work to begin on the 53kilometres stretch of roads in the Tema metropolis which was to be funded by the Government of Ghana.
For sometime now, the contractors who were immediately awarded the contracts had seemingly slowed down work causing inconvenience to motorists and pedestrians as well.
The Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, who was accompanied by the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Robert Ofosu Ware, and some officials of the assembly, appealed to the contractors to complete the work on time.