THE Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, has attributed the delay in the commencement of the dualisation of the Sunyani-Abesim road to engineering design adjustments required to relocate Ghana Water Ltd (GWL) installations along the stretch.
He explained that the presence of water infrastructure within the road corridor necessitated changes to the original design, delaying the contractor's mobilisation until the revised drawings received approval.
Mr Akwaboa was speaking to journalists in Sunyani on Monday after inspecting a 19-kilometre Sunyani Ring Road project, giving an assurance that the contractor would mobilise to the site next month to begin work on the project.
Approval
"We were having issues on that road because there were water installations within the road corridor. We needed to shift the road to one side. We sent the drawings to Accra for approval," he said.
The government in February this year approved the dualisation of the Sunyani-Abesim road and the Adumako Junction-Watchman road as part of its infrastructure programme to improve urban mobility and support the anticipated growth of Sunyani.
In that regard, traders and other occupants within the road reservation were directed to remove containers, kiosks and other temporary structures to pave the way for construction.
An initial 10-day ultimatum issued on February 4, 2026, was later extended to February 28 following appeals from affected traders, allowing them additional time to relocate voluntarily before work commenced.
After the deadline, the contractor quickly moved to the site and cleared trees and structures along the road corridor.
The dualisation became necessary because the Sunyani-Abesim road had become heavily congested, particularly during the morning rush hours between 6:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., making it difficult for commuters and motorists to move freely.
Abandonment
However, after clearing the road reservation, work stalled as the contractor left the site, raising concerns among residents and traders.
The prolonged inactivity worsened traffic congestion and left affected traders questioning why they had been compelled to relocate when construction had not commenced as expected.
Commitment
However, Mr Akwaboa stressed that the government remained committed to delivering the project.
He described the project as a priority intervention to ease persistent traffic congestion on one of the busiest entry routes into the Bono Regional capital.
"Very soon you will see the contractor on that road. It is a short stretch and we are determined to complete it. We mean business and we will not deceive the people," he stated.
Mr Akwaboa also announced that the government had awarded the contract for the Sunyani-Baakoniaba inner-city road to the contractor already executing the Sunyani Outer Ring Road project.
He said the contractor was expected to mobilise to site this week, with asphalt works on the stretch from the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) Roundabout to Baakoniaba expected to be completed within three months.
Mr Akwaboa said the decision to include the inner-city road in the ongoing outer ring road contract followed appeals from residents over the deteriorating condition of the road.
The minister recalled that work on the 19-kilometre project began during the previous administration of President John Dramani Mahama but stalled after the change of government in 2017.
He said although the succeeding administration attempted to continue the project under the Sinohydro infrastructure programme, it was not completed.
Mr Akwaboa expressed confidence that the current government would complete both the inner-city road and the Abesim dualisation projects as part of efforts to improve transportation and accelerate development in the Bono Regional capital.
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