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President Akufo-Addo cuts sod for reconstruction and dualisation of Adenta-Dodowa road
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as part of government’s determined pursuit to transform the road infrastructure of the nation, has on Thursday, August 8, 2024, cut the sod for the dualisation of the 22km Adentan to Dodowa road project.
Originally reconstructed in 1998, this vital inter-regional road, connects Ghana’s capital to the Eastern and Volta regions and beyond, thus forming part of government’s comprehensive strategy to enhance the main trunk roads of the country.
This comprehensive strategy also includes ongoing works on the dualization of other key roads such as the Accra-Kumasi Highway, Accra-Cape Coast road, Tema-Aflao Road and Tema Akosombo road, which are being constructed to reduce travel times, lower vehicle operating costs and significantly improve road safety.
Aside the dualization of the 22km section, the project, being undertaken by Messrs Oswald Investments Limited, an indigenous Ghanaian company, will be managed by the Ministry of Roads and Highways with the Ghana Highway Authority serving as the engineer, also includes the provision of service lanes on both lines of the main carriageway where required, provide adequate drainage structures, walkways and lay-bys along the urbanized sections.
Speaking at the well-attended sod-cutting event, which featured the Chiefs and hundreds of enthusiastic people of the area, President Akufo-Addo said this latest effort will be a welcome addition to the impressive strides by his government in the road network nationwide.
He said, some 12,830 kilometres of road have been completed nationwide.
This includes 2055 kilometres of road and the construction of four interchanges in the Greater Accra Region, in addition to the construction of three bridges in Communities 12 and 19 in Tema, as well as in Taifa.
The President added that “In addition to these completed projects, major road works are ongoing in the greater crowd region, including the dualization of the Achimota-Ofankor road, which will be expanded to a 10 lane facility with 4 interchanges at Amasaman, Pobiman, Medie and Nsawam. The project is 62% complete.”
He also mentioned the construction of the 30km Dome-Kitasi road, currently at 26% complete, the construction of the 64 km Tema Akosombo road, with sections to be dualized to six lanes and with interchanges at Ashaiman roundabout and Asutuare, which is 10% complete, the construction of the Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange Phase II, which is 87% complete, the construction of the Flower Pot Interchange across the motorway, which is 90% complete, and the dualization of the 5.7 km School Junction to Motorway road, which is 98% complete.
President Akufo-Addo also touched on the resumption of work on the construction of the Tema-Aflao road, which provides four interchanges at Kpong, Savannah, Dahwenya and Ningo Junction, the dualization of the 14.6 km Coastal road Phase I, with major bridges across the Kpeshie, Songhor, Ablekeshie street to address perennial flooding and the dualization of the 9.7 km Coastal road Phase II, Nungua to Tema, involving the construction of a 3-tier Nungua Interchange and a railway bridge towards Sakumono, which were suspended due to the debt restructuring exercise.
The President urged the contractor to implement necessary traffic management measures to minimize inconveniences to commuters in pedestriants during the construction period.
Some projects which have been completed include the iconic 4-tier Pokuase Interchange, the first of its kind in Ghana and West Africa, and the second in Africa. This project also included the construction of 12 km of local roads.
The others also include the Tema Motorway Interchange Phase One, and Obetsebi Lamptey Phase One, the dualization of Aviation Road, Otano-School Junction Road and Nana krom road, totalling 12.8km. The partial reconstruction of selected roads in Ga North, Dome-Kwabenya and Ga Central, covering 24km and the partial reconstruction of selected roads in Teshie and Nungua, covering 9 km, as well as, the surfacing of the Bobobokor area roads in Ga West, covering 25 km are all progressing steadily.
News
Speaker adjourns Parliament indefinitely
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has today adjourned the house indefinitely.
The Speaker cited lack of sufficient Members of Parliament to take decisions and the controversy about the composition of the house.
Additionally, he said he referred to the Supreme Court injunction on his decision last Thursday which declared four seats vacant.
Presiding over Parliament in the absence of the NPP MPs, he said “Yesterday I received a process from the Supreme Court directing parliament to recognize the four effected members of parliament to duly represent their constituents and conduct full scope of duties of their offices as Members of Parliament pending the final determination of a suit filed by Alexander Afenyo Markin.
He further added that “By Article 102 of the 1992 Constitution and order 64(1) of Standings I note that we currently have a quorum to do business, but not to take decisions.”
The Speaker added that “But by Article 104, the numbers are not sufficient to take a decision.I quote Article 104(1) says, Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, matters in Parliament shall be determined by the votes of the majority of members present and voting, with at least half of all the members of Parliament present.”
The Speaker in his co concluding remarks said, “Hon Members, we don’t have half of all the members, consequently in view of the current circumstance, the fact that there is a question on the composition of parliament and having regard to the public interest and the exigencies of the state of affairs in Parliament I will proceed to in accordance with standing orders 59 adjourn the house indefinitely.”
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
News
Treat with disdain attempt to smear Speaker- Parliament
According to Parliament, their attention has been drawn to a video circulating on social media insinuating that the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has been invited to a meeting with the President to negotiate a settlement in respect of the pronouncement by the Rt. Hon. Speaker on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
This is in response to a call by the Minority Leader to declare the seats of four (4) Members of Parliament vacant.
“Parliament states without any equivocation that there is no iota of truth in the insinuation
in the cireulated video,” the statement added.
Parliament further stated that “video in question was taken on July 4, 2024, when the Rt.Hon. Speaker led a delegation to present the maiden democracy cup to the President.”
According to the statement, “The attempt to wrongly label the video and twist facts to impugn the integrity of the Rt. Hon.Speaker and Parliament is not only disingenuous but unfortunate.”
“The general public is hereby advised to ignore the attempt to hoodwink them into believing what has never transpired and treat the narrative with the contempt it deserves,” they concluded.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
