Asankragwa (WR), Nov. 13, GNA - The government has directed the Departments of Highways and Feeder Roads in the Western Region to immediately rehabilitate the dangerous portions of the main cocoa and timber roads, while measures are put to tar them. Mr Joe Gidisu, Minister of Roads and Highways, who announced this at Asankragwa, on Friday, expressed the government's commitment to rehabilitate the major roads of the region to facilitate the transportation of natural resources to the commodity markets.

The Minister gave the directive after a three-day tour of the main road networks linking the major economic areas in the region to assess their conditions with a team comprising directors and engineers from the Ministry and Regional offices of the Highways and Feeder Roads Departments in the region. District chief executives for Juaboso, Bia, Aowin-Suaman and Asankragwa, and the Chairman of Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport, were also with him.

The trip followed recent media reports that many sacks of cocoa produce were locked up there because of the bad nature of the roads. Mr Gidisu said the government had secured a 143 million Euro credit facility from the Dutch Government to work on the remaining 53 kilometers of the 88-kilometer Benchema-barrier to Oseikojokrom road. He said it has also earmarked a portion of the 13.1 billion-dollar credit facility, which the President recently secured from the Chinese Government, to be used to rehabilitate the rest of the roads in the region from the first quarter of next year. They include 70-kilometre Prestea-Nkwanta-Samreboi road, the 56-kilometre Sefwi Bekwai-Asankragwa road in the Asankragwa District, and the 70-kilometre Sefwi Wiawso-Akontombra road in the Sefwi Wiawso District. The rest are the 17-kilometre Sefwi Bodi-Juaboso road in the Juaboso District and the 88-kilometre Bencheman-Osei Kojokrom road in the Bia District.

These roads link communities producing natural resources such as gold, bauxite, timber, cocoa, coffee and rubber to the urban centres for exportation. They are flood prone and have no culverts and bridges. They are also narrow and muddy and the persistent rainfall in the area is worsening matters making it difficult for commuters to use the roads. Due to the deplorable conditions of the roads, farm produce do not get to marketing centres on time as only a few vehicles ply the route. The Minister expressed regret that even though the region produces the largest chunk of the country's commodities, its roads are in bad shape and gave the assurance that the government would strive to reverse the situation. He said the Ministry would liaise with the timber processing companies in the area and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to impress on the Ghana Cocoa Board to co-operate with government to undertake periodic maintenance on the roads.

Mr Gidisu also interacted with contractors who are working on some of the roads, including Big Aidoo Constructions Limited and Top Engineering Ghana Limited, and asked them to expedite action on the projects. He said the government would strengthen the capacity of local contractors in the region to take up road construction because they know the terrain and would do a better job than a foreign contractor. The Minister on Thursday met with the chiefs and elders of the Suaman- Dadieso Traditional Council to explain the government's interventions on the road network in the region. He called on the people to exercise patience as the government is mobilising resources to address their problems. Some of the people commended Mr Gidisu for being the first Minister of Roads and Highways since 1992 to inspect the roads and experience at first hand their problems. Some of them told the Ghana News Agency that it showed the commitment of the Minister and the government to address their problems and expressed the hope that the government would carry through with its promise. 13 Nov. 10