President John Dramani Mahama ended his two-day working visit to the Western Region last Friday, which involved, among other things, the inspection of infrastructural projects, which, he said, would create economic opportunities for the people.
Expressing satisfaction with the projects in the region, both completed and ongoing, he said the infrastructural investment would improve productivity and increase the quality of life of the people.
“All this shows that Ghana is moving forward,” he said, and urged the youth to take advantage of the projects by undergoing skills training to earn a living.
He inspected work on the upgrading of the Sekondi/Takoradi roads the second phase of which has just begun; the Agona Nkwanta-Elubo road and the Takoradi Port expansion projects.
Sekondi/Takoradi road
Covering 25 kilometres, the second phase of the twin-city road upgrading is being financed by the government at a cost of GH¢25 million.
The completion of the first phase of 20-km asphaltic overlay of roads at a cost of GH¢19.6 million has already brought some sanity into road transport in the twin-city.
The project is in fulfilment of the promise the President made to the Western Regional House of Chiefs in 2014.
President Mahama debunked rumours in the city that the project was being undertaken with funds from oil companies.
Takoradi-Essiama-Elubo road
The 110-km Takoradi-Essiama-Elubo road, which forms part of the Abidjan-Lagos trade and transport facilitation project, is being financed by the International Development Association of the World Bank and the government and work on it is progressing.
Touching on road projects in other parts of the country, the President said they too would facilitate socio-economic activities in the region.
Consequently, he said, the government would continue to invest heavily in the road sector to open up the rural areas.
Takoradi Port
Among other things, the Takoradi Port project involves the extension of the existing 1.075 kilometres of breakwater, the construction of 10 additional berths, an additional access road to the port and open storage areas for pipes.
President Mahama was impressed with the level of work done and commended the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), as well as the construction company, for the work done so far.
The project, he said, would triple the Takoradi Port’s capacity and reduce pressure on the Tema Port.
He said as the Takoradi Port planned to receive more volumes of goods, the management should equally plan how to evacuate more volumes.
He said the massive rehabilitation works at the port had prompted the government to look at the rehabilitation of the Western railway to ensure the evacuation of more goods to other parts of the country.
The Managing Director of the GPHA, Dr Richard Anamoo, who conducted the President round the port project, said it would completely change the face of the port.
