Expedite action on Kpando town roads, others– MP tells Minister

The Member of Parliament for Kpando Constituency in the Volta Region, Hon Della Sowah, has expressed dissatisfaction about the slow pace of Kpando Township roads project work being executed by the Urban Roads Department (URD) of the Ministry of Roads and Highways in the Constituency.

According to him, construction works on Kpando township roads project have stalled since 2020, thereby affecting motorists, commuters and general transportation within the Municipality.

Hon Sowah expressed her disappointment when she dragged the Minister for Roads and Highways to parliament on Friday, June 17, 2022, over the abandoned Kpando Township roads, Gbefi Tornu road, Torkor and Aloyi Roads.

The lawmaker wanted to know when construction works on the roads project would be completed.

“Mr. Speaker I rise to ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what the Ministry program is for Kpando Town roads, Gbefi Tornu Road, Torkor Road and Aloyi Roads,” Hon Della Sowah quizzed the Minister for Roads and Highways.

In response, the sector Minister Hon Kwesi Amoako-Atta said the 17.5km road project which was awarded under the name, “Upgrading of Selected Roads in Kpando Municipality commenced in 2015 and was expected to in 2016.

According to him, the Contractor has so far worked on site clearance, 600mm diameter u-drain and 900mm diameter u-drain, making the project complete at 8 percent as of 2016.

He said the Torkor road is part of the 34km Kame-Golokwati-Torkor which passes through Afadjato South District and Kpando Municipality and is bituminous and partly gravel.

In addition, the Minister said under the 2019/2020 Resealing program, the resealing of 7km Kpando-Torkor road was awarded to be completed in October 2020, but the Contractor has requested for extension of time.

“Mr. Speaker, the project is at 28 percent complete and the contractor has executed Demolish and Site Clearance, Earthworks and Concrete Works,” he said, stating that, the Gbefi Tornu 1.30km road is an engineered road with the fair surface condition.

Hon Amoako-Atta added that an engineering design and condition survey would be conducted on the road rehabilitation, stressing that, the execution of the road would be considered under the 2023 Budget statement.

But Hon Sowah expressed disappointment over the handling of rehabilitation work of the Kpando Roads as the dust continues to induce health implications for the people.

She berated the government for failing to fulfill its obligation and expressed dissatisfaction with the pace and nature of work done on the Kpando, Torkor, Gbefi roads.