If contract duration, averagely is anything to go by, President Akufo-Addo and his government will miss fine the opportunity to make history.
The confusion and talks about the Accra-Tema motorway reconstruction has been political, economical, social and even science and technology.
Both local and foreign users, depending on their mission see the nature of the only motorway in Ghana as worry.
The ruling New Patriotic party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have subjected the reconstruction of the Tema motorway to a political football.
The motorway which was constructed under the leadership of Dr Kwame Nkrumah – the first President of Ghana and built in the style of the Autobahn, a German motorway has over lived and out its usefulness.
The hitherto end-to-end journey has now become a funeral grounds pushing foreign and Ghana’s human resources to their ancestors.
November 30, 1965, saw the opening of the first stretch of the Accra-Tema Motorway.
The Tema Motorway officially known as the N1 Highway is a 19-kilometre (12 mi) highway that links Tema, a gate way for goods to Ghana’s capital, Accra.
It is a major highway in Ghana that connects the capital city to the industrial city of Tema.
Ghanaians, for the first time tumultuously threw their support behind President Akufo Addo, believing that many of their challenges will be solved including the motorway that sweeps people into their graves.
Five years ago, the President told Parliament “I must make mention of the work being done to restore the Accra-Tema motorway to its iconic status. #SONA2018” cited on Prez Akufo Addo’s X handle.
On Thursday, 30 September, 2021, then government spokesperson on Infrastructure, Kojo Frempong, disclosed that, the reconstruction of the Accra-Tema motorway would cost $570 million and that reconstruction is set to begin in December, 2021, a statement which was mighty contested by Kwami Agbodza from the opposing side in Parliament and reported on Myjoyonline.com.
“Work on the Accra-Tema Motorway Expansion project is expected to start early next year (2023) , the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has said.
This follows the decision of the government to procure the 27.7 kilometres project through the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) under a Public, Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. It was part of the 2023 Budget and Economic Policy of the Government to Parliament on November 24.
Mr. Ofori-Atta said a PPP concession agreement backed by an appropriate toll arrangement would be presented to Parliament for approval to facilitate its execution.
Ken Ofori Atta added that, provision had also been made in the 2023 and the medium-term budget for the Equity and Viability Gap Funding required by a GIIF Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to enable the project to start in earnest in 2023.
The quantum of vehicles on the endangered motorway hitherto surpasses the US highest posted speed limit in the country of 85 mph, the Texas State Highway.
But today, vehicle tyres succumb to the huge holes and visible iron metal in the concrete road.
Finally December 15,2023 Parliament approved a PPP Agreement on a $338 million for the Accra’s-Tema Motorway extension.
The 3-Phase project, I hope will see the light of day, since the politicking on the Motorway project has been far too long.
I dare say, Akufo-Addo has lost that singular opportunity to re-make history by not ensuring that the motorway was a priority to the government and actually seeing to its completion within his 8 year rule as the President of the nation.
I am not a prophet of doom, but the THIRTY SIX MONTHS (36 months) project duration is doubtful. If Dr Bawumia wins elections 2024, President Akufo-Addo may be invited to commission the newly reconstructed Accra-Tema Motorway.
If former President John Mahama wins, his [Akufo Addo’s] name won’t come at all. That will be a pay back.
Whether Dr Bawumia or Mr. Mahama is President in 2025, they should ensure the motorway now a death trap is fixed.
The ‘mpotompoto’ motorway with gravels, coal tar, asphalt and cement concrete fighting for spaces brings nothing to Ghana but economic shame. Traffic jam on the motorway where commuters spend over two hours on the road is not only annoying but retrogressive.
Source: adomonline,com
