The Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey is not enthused by Minister for Roads and Highways’ promise that the execution of abandoned and delayed road projects in the Jomoro municipality would be considered under the 2024 budget.
The Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, has explained that the projects have delayed due to unavailability of funds and other challenges.
The Minister gave the explanation on the floor of Parliament when Madam Dorcas Affo-Toffey enquired when roads in her constituency such as Samenya Barrier to Half Assini, New Town Roads, among others would be completed.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Samenya Barrier to Half Assini and New Town …in the Jomoro Constituency would be completed”, the MP queried.
In his response, the Minister for Roads and Highways, stated, “Mr. Speaker the Samenya Barrier to Half Assini Road forms part of the regional roads 019 which stretches to Mpataba to the Ivory Coast Border. The road spans through Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region”.
Mr. Amoako-Attah added, “already, the Samenya Barrier to Half Assini Road forms part of an ongoing project from Mpataba to Half Assini dual road measuring about 25 kilometres.
“Work commenced on 25th June 2020 for completion by 24th December 2022. Physical progress is estimated to be 30.2%. The contractor is at site. However, progress of work is slow due to delay in payments”.
He explained that “the block 2, Mr. Speaker, work commenced on 26th June 2020 to be completed on December 26 2022. Physical completion is 26% and the contractor is on site. Again, however, progress of work is slow due to delayed in payments. The completion of works would depend largely on availability of funds”.
The Minister said, “to the Newtown roads…Mr. Speaker, these roads, measuring 80 kilometres are feeder roads and form part of the Half Assini New town feeder roads, which is measuring 25 kilometers”.
“There was lack of suitable gravel materials. The contract has been curtailed due to lack of funds. The execution would be considered under the 2024 budget” Mr. Amoako-Attah explained.
But Madam Affo-Toffey, not satisfied with the fact that the roads would be captured under the Government of Ghana funded projects under the 2024 budget, said the allocation should be under the Ghana Gas Company.
She explained that it is part of the social responsibility of the Ghana Gas to construct such roads so it would be prudent for the company to fulfil this social responsibility.
Madam Affo-Toffey reiterated that Jomoro is part of the gas production enclaves in the country so they must benefit from the Ghana Gas Company.
Though she agreed in principle that the roads should be captured in the 2024 budget, she insisted that since the Ghana Government does not have money to construct the roads, Ghana Gas should have funds set aside for that so the construction of these roads would be fast-tracked.