Bad roads affecting food production in Prestea Huni-Valley-MP tells Roads Minister

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Prestea Huni-Valley, Constituency in the Western Region, Hon Robert Wisdom Cudjoe has said bad roads, especially in the cocoa growing communities is retarding the growth of Cocoa and agriculture in the area.

According to him, despite the economic potentials in the cocoa sector,
Government is paying little attention to the poor road network which is one of the factor bedeviled agriculture.

He said apart from the activities of illegal surface mining known as Galamsey affecting cocoa farming, the lack of good roads remained another major challenges that impede cocoa production and agriculture as a whole.

The MP added that road transport plays an important role in agricultural development, partly because it is a major means of transporting agricultural produce from farms to the markets centers as well as to various urban communities.

Hon Cudjoe made this known when he posed a question to the Minister of Roads and Highways on the floor of parliament over some abandoned road construction projects in the constituency
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what the progress of work regarding construction of the following roads within Prestea Huni-Valley Constituency is: (i) Bogoso – Prestea Road (ii) Bogoso – Insu Siding – Huni Valley Roads (iii) Huni Town Roads,” Hon Robert Wisdom Cudjoe quizzed the Minister.
In response, the sector Minister, Hon Kwesi Amoako Atta said the Bogoso – Prestea road has been awarded on Contract in four (4) Lots under the contract titles, “the Bogoso- Prestea Road (20km); Bogoso – Insu Siding – Huni Valley Road (26km) and Huni Town Roads are in the Prestea – Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region. “

According to the Minister, the four (4) lots are at various stages of completion ranging between 34 – 95%, stating, “Resealing of Bogoso – Prestea Road 20 km in total formed part of the R121 roads.
He said lots 1&2 commenced was awarded contract and work commenced in December, 2016 and were scheduled for completion by September, 2017, while Lots 3&4 commenced in September, 2019 and were scheduled for completion by October, 2020.
“Mr Speaker, ‘the Resealing of Bogoso Prestea Road (km 0.0 – 5.0) lot 1″; -43.14% • “Resealing of Bogoso – Prestea Road (km 5.0-10.0) lot2”; -95.0% “Resealing of Bogoso – Prestea Road (km 10.0-15.0) lot 3” – 42.0 “Resealing of Bogoso Prestea Road (km 15.0 – 20.0) lot 4” – 34.0% ,” he explained to parliament.
On the Bogoso – Insu-siding – Huni Valley Roads and the Huni Town Roads, the sector Minister stated that the Bogoso – Insu-siding – Huni Valley Road has been awarded on contract titled: “Upgrading of Bogoso – Insu Siding – Huni Valley Road (Km 0.0-26.0) – Lot 4”.
Mr Amoako Atta said works commenced on that part of the road in March, 2020 and was scheduled for completion by September 2022.
In respect of the Huni Valley Town Roads, the Minister said the road was packaged as a variation order under the upgrading of Bogoso – Insu Siding – Huni Valley Road which span about 26km.
He said the physical progress of work achieved is at 37 percent complete, as the Contractor is also not on site due to delayed payment for work done.
He however assured the MP and the people of the affected roads to bear with government as effort being done to have the roads fixed.
But Hon Cudjoe expressed disappointed on the fact that, the poor roads are affecting the economic development of the area.
He said the situation becomes worse during the rain seasons and called on the Minister to expedite action on the roads to boost the local economy .

The MP told Expressnewsghana after parliament proceeding that, the Minister response was inaccurate per the situation on the ground.

Further more, he said his question was premised on the fact that the Minister in response to his question in 2021, assured that the road would be completed in two weeks time as it was left with only road signs and markings.

According to Hon Cudjoe, the Minister failed to provide tangible response to his supplementary question wanting to know from the Minister what has been the outcome of the remaining works on signs and markings since 2021?.

“When I brought the Minister to the floor in 2021 in relation to these roads, the Minister assured me that , some of the COntractors including those working on this roads project would be paid to mobilise back to site. The Minister told me as at 2021 that, Contractors that failed would have the projects terminated, repackage and reward.”

“So does it mean that since 2021 and 2022, the Contractors have not been paid? “, The Lawmaker added.

In respect of the Huni-Valley roads, the MP said the road project has caused damaged to the town water system but till date, there has not been repairs, a situation he added is affecting the residents access to drinking water.

Nevertheless,Hon Cudjoe said he would continue to work hard and lobby for development projects for the people of Prestea Huni-Valley to justify the confidence reposed in him in 2020 election.