The Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has questioned the continuous haulage of bauxite and manganese that frequently destroys the Tarkwa, Agona-Nkwanta to Takoradi road.
The Roads Minister, who was inspecting the 33.3 percent completed Agona-Nkwanta to Takoradi road, while commending JUSTMOH Construction for the quality work and commitment to the 24-hour construction model, said no serious country allows such heavy-duty goods to be hauled on expensive roads.
He, therefore, called for a serious discussion to end the haulage of bauxite and manganese by road.
The Agona-Nkwanta to Takoradi road is a 36-month project which started on 19th March 2024 and is currently 12 months into construction. JUSTMOH Construction has done 90 percent of earthworks, 67 culverts, and has completed 56 out of the total 67 culverts, as well as two out of four brigades.
“The difficulty we have is that these trucks use this road that we built with our tax money, and then instead of putting those materials on rails, they transport it on the road. So part of the reason why our roads do not last as long as they should is because of the nature of transportation we do on them,” he stated.
The Project Engineer, Kofi Adjei Frimpong, while briefing the Roads Minister, said JUSTMOH has no problem with construction materials despite delays in payment for work done so far, but pointed out difficulties facing the construction due to inadequate money for compensation.
“One significant hope for this project is that they are recycling the asphalt. We do not have problems with the construction materials so far. On challenges, the compensation is a challenge, the money that was budgeted for the construction. And that has slowed down construction in the town.”