Cape Coast: Some 52 feeder road projects out of a total of 121 in the Central Region have been abandoned, primarily due to delays in payments by the government.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Regional Department of Feeder Roads reported that 47 of the remaining projects are progressing slowly, while 22 have been substantially completed.
Regional Engineer Mr. Abudulai Braimah stated that the projects, funded by COCOBOD through the Cocoa Roads and Road Fund, have not received funding since 2020. Speaking at a staff durbar during a working visit by Regional Minister Mr. Eduamoah Ekow Payin Okyere, Mr. Braimah highlighted that the delay in payments is causing project execution delays and a lack of logistics for supervision.
Mr. Braimah noted that the projects cover a total of 934 km, with 159 km completed at a cost of GHC2.4 billion. Additionally, five major bridges costing GHC47.8 million have been partially completed to ease commuting challenges in Mfantseman, Agona East, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Assin North, and Twifo Atti-Morkwa Districts.
Of the 3,150 km of feeder roads in the region, only 20 percent have a bitumen surface, 60 percent have a gravel surface, and 20 percent are earth surface. In terms of road conditions, 25 percent are good, 38 percent fair, and 37 percent poor. Despite a staff strength of 16, Mr. Braimah assured their commitment to ensure safe all-weather accessible feeder roads at optimum cost to facilitate the movement of people, goods, and services.
He also assured that with adequate funding, 80 percent of rural communities in the region could access a feeder road within a two km radius at optimum cost. Routine maintenance would be ensured to prevent road deterioration, including grass cutting, reshaping, pothole patching, and bridge construction.
Central Regional Minister Mr. Eduamoah Ekow Payin Okyere urged the Department of Feeder Roads to ensure high-quality road construction and maintenance to prevent rapid deterioration after completion. He emphasized the financial burden on the government due to frequent repairs and stressed the need for strict monitoring to ensure value for money. He also called for resistance to corruption and a focus on accountability in operations to ensure state resources are effectively utilized.
