Work on Bolgatanga-Sherigu-Naaga has resumed after stalling for several years.
Residents and motorists who use the road have expressed excitement over the steady progress of work following the contractor's return after years of inactivity, describing the renewed construction as a major relief to thousands who depend on the road daily.
The return of heavy construction equipment and workers to the road has renewed hope among residents of Sherigu, Tanzui, Zorbisi, Sokabisi, Naaga and nearby communities that the project will finally be completed.
Many of them said the resumption of work had restored confidence after years of uncertainty and appealed to the government to provide the contractor with the needed funds to complete the road without further interruptions.
Residents welcome return of contractor
A trader at Sherigu, Lydia Ayamga, said the return of the contractor had brought joy and relief to the community.
“For years, work came to a standstill and the road kept getting worse.
Seeing the contractor back on site gives us hope that the project will finally be completed.
We only pray that the work continues without stopping again,” she said.
A commercial driver, Abdul Rahman Anaba, noted that the poor state of the road had increased vehicle maintenance costs but said the ongoing works would improve transport.
“This road is very important to us because we use it every day.
The progress we are seeing now is encouraging and we hope there will be no more delays,” he stated.
A farmer from Naaga, Simon Atanga, said the completion of the road would greatly improve the transportation of farm produce to markets.
“During the rainy season, transporting foodstuffs becomes very difficult.
If this road is completed, it will improve trade and reduce our transportation costs considerably,” he said.
Visible progress on the project
A visit by Daily Graphic to the project site last Monday, showed construction crews busily undertaking prime seal works, while heavy equipment compacted sections of the road in preparation for final surfacing.
The contractor has completed approximately 10 kilometres of prime seal works and has commenced the laying of bituminous surfacing on about 15 kilometres of the 29.9-kilometre road project.
The renewed pace of work marks significant progress on the road, which has suffered repeated delays since construction began several years ago.
Assurance
The Project Engineer of ARACO Construction Limited, Jirkins Kusi, explained that they were currently undertaking the prime seal stage, which forms the first bituminous layer before the final wearing course is applied.
He said after the prime seal is laid, the surface would undergo a curing period of about 90 days before the final seal is applied.
“We have all our human resources, machinery and construction materials on site.
What people are seeing now is continuous progress, and we are determined to move steadily towards Naaga,” he said.
Despite the renewed activity, the project engineer identified delayed payments as the biggest obstacle confronting the company.
He disclosed that ARACO Construction Limited had not received payment certificates for nearly two years, which had slowed the pace of construction despite the company’s determination to continue working.
Commitment
Responding to concerns about the road's durability, Mr. Kusi assured the public that no compromises would be made on quality.
He explained that the company was using modern construction methods, including chip sealing technology, while ensuring proper compaction of the road base to guarantee durability.
