Prez Mahama inaugurates Airport Hills overpass
President John Mahama yesterday inaugurated a new overpass in Accra to ease traffic in parts of the capital, with an assurance that the government would continue to invest in road infrastructure because it had a direct correlation with economic prosperity.
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The 4.7-kilometre road which runs from the Congo Junction at Burma Camp through Airport Hills to the Flower Pot Junction on the Spintex Road provides alternative routes for residents of La, Teshie Tebibianor and Teshie.
The inauguration ceremony attracted scores of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters from the Ledzokuku and the La Dadekotopon constituencies.
Traditional leaders from the various communities in the constituency also attended the ceremony.
The project has solar traffic lights, walkways and streets lights at some intersections.
The opening of the overpass to traffic is expected to significantly reduce travel time from Accra to Teshie, Spintex and its environs.
Inaugurating the project, the President said “the government is undertaking many other works that are necessary to bring relief to the motoring public”.
New projects
He also cut the sod for the construction of two 105-metre span flyovers from the Flower Pot Junction to link the Tema Motorway and another to link the East Legon/Shiashi stretch.
The flyovers, he said, were being funded from the government’s own resources and expected to be completed within 24 months at a cost of GH¢50 million.
He said construction would be carried out in such a way that it would not disrupt traffic flow on the Tema Motorway and the Spintex Road.
“Accra is a fast growing city due to economic prosperity. There are more cars coming on the roads annually, hence the need to create many alternative roads for commuters, so that we can prevent Accra from coming into a gridlock,” he said.
President Mahama tasked the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Department of Urban Roads to ensure that contractors worked to specification and standards to ensure government got value for money.
He said the government had invested in the road network in Ghana more than any administration at any time in the country’s history.
The contribution of roads to the country’s growth and gross domestic product (GDP) would be obvious in the coming years, President Mahama Said.
He said the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange project, which commenced in 2013 at a cost of 74 million euros, had been completed and would be duly opened to traffic soon.
Other road networks
To reduce pressure along the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange and further address traffic congestion, President Mahama said the government had initiated key interventions to provide a respite for the motoring public.
In that regard, he said plans were in place to construct an interchange over the Accra/Kumasi road at Pokuase, which would also be made to link the Ritz Junction, near Madina.
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, said the overpass to link the Motorway and the Spintex Road would be constructed using reinforced concrete recast beams.
The La Shikitele, Nii Adjei Koofe,noted that the roads would improve productivity in the communities and appealed to the President to ensure that other roads in the area were rehabilitated.
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