Kintampo (B/A), June 21, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday cut the sod for work to begin on the reconstruction of two major trunk roads in Brong Ahafo. The 36.1 million dollars work on the 60-kilometres Techiman-Kintampo road is expected to be completed in two and half years and is being undertaken by Shizong Construction Company of South Korea. The fund for the project was provided by the African Development Bank.

At Aworowa, near Techiman President Kufuor cut the sod for the commencement of work on the 30-kilometre Techiman-Wenchi road project, expected to be completed in 18 months. This project is funded by the government at the cost of GH¢ 15.326 million Ghana Cedis and the contractor is P.W. Ghanem.

President Kufuor noted that the Kintampo area was endowed with immense natural resources that needed to be exploited fully for the benefit of the people and Ghana as a whole and that it was the determination of the government to help realize this goal. He stressed that the completion of the Kintampo project would facilitate business and economic activities between the north and south of the country as the area served as the central point of the country. "The completion of this road project will be a great relief to transportation as Kintampo is a major viable transit point for business and economic activities of our people", President Kufuor added. President stressed that with the elevation of Kintampo district into a municipal status there was the need for all necessary amenities to be provided and the reconstruction of the road, which linked the country to neighbouring countries up north, was part of the government's commitment to ensure that the area got what it deserved. He urged the people to keep the environment clean because of the area's tourist potentials and called on the chiefs and Assembly Members to spearhead the crusade to showcase the municipal status of the area.

President Kufuor advised the people to pay their taxes, basic rates and tolls promptly to enable the Municipal Assembly to mobilise enough funds for more development programmes. He also cautioned the Assembly to use the funds that would accrue for the intended purposes. On the oil find, President Kufuor declared that, "Ghana is going to be a happy place to live within three to five years" and appealed to chiefs and all Ghanaians to avoid unnecessary conflicts and disputes that could disrupt the country's development agenda. "The government has worked to sustain relative peace within the past eight years to ensure the steady development of our people", he said and urged that the December elections would witness a vote for the continuity of the government's development agenda.

Dr. Richard Anane, Minister of Transportation, reiterated that 4.6 kilometres of Kintampo town roads would also be tackled to give the municipal capital a worthy face-lift. He said all necessary environmental and safety measures had been considered in the execution of the projects and assured the general public and motorists that all would be well on completion of the projects. A representative of the African Development Bank said the bank agreed to fund the Kintampo project in acknowledgement of the government's commitment to infrastructural development in the country. Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom 1V, Omanhene of Nkoranza Traditional area and President of Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, who presided, appealed to the government to help solve the land dispute with the Gonjas in the area. Ministers of State attended both functions.