The Agona Junction-to-Tarkwa road corridor in the Western Region is set to undergo major sectional rehabilitation, with the contractor covering the costs, in what government has described as a rare and commendable act of corporate responsibility.
The road has suffered premature structural failure, largely due to excessive axle loading from heavy-duty mining and haulage vehicles operating along the corridor.
The Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Alhassan Suhuyini, praised the initiative, noting that it reflects a strong commitment to national development and long-term partnership.
“It is not common practice for a contractor to undertake the rehabilitation of a failed road at their own cost, purely out of commitment to national interest and long-term partnership,” Suhuyini said.
“We will share timelines and traffic management approaches with the public. But let me be honest, if axle load violations continue, even a newly rehabilitated road will fail again.”
Suhuyini, speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement forum on axle load control and road preservation on the corridor organised by the Ghana Highway Authority, emphasised the importance of adhering to axle load limits.
“They are engineering-based safeguards designed to ensure that our roads achieve their intended design life. When these limits are exceeded, pavements deteriorate rapidly, maintenance costs escalate, and road safety is compromised,” he said.
He further cautioned truck owners and influential individuals against interfering with enforcement activities, describing such actions as a threat to the rule of law and national infrastructure.
“Such conduct is unacceptable and must stop. Any attempt to intimidate, coerce, or influence them to overlook infractions undermines the rule of law, weakens road safety, and accelerates the destruction of our national infrastructure,” Suhuyini reiterated.