Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Friday gave the assurance that the government would rehabilitate and maintain a number of roads in the Western Region.

Speaking at the sod cutting ceremony for work to begin on the 34-kilometre Manso-Asankrangwa section of the Bawdie-Asankrangwa road at Manso-Amenfi, Alhaji Mahama said the government was committed to the rehabilitation and maintenance of roads in the region because of the economic importance of the area.

The International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank provided 90 per cent of the 68.365 Billion-cedi project while the government bore the remaining 10 per cent. He said, "This region lays the golden egg for the nation and as a nation we should have done better in its development than what we have done". He added that, the completion of the rehabilitation of the roads would enhance economic activity and open up the region for investments especially in the exploitation of the rich mineral resources in the area.

Dr Richard Winfred Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport said the project being executed by Messrs PW Ghana/PW Nigeria would be completed within 24 months. He said the 20-kilometre Bawdie-Manso section of the road had already been rehabilitated to bituminous surface dressing while the Manso-Asankrangwa portion would be reconstructed "to double surface dressing on mechanically stabilised base and natural sub-base".

Dr Anane said the Ministry would ensure that adequate traffic safety and environmental measures were put in place during the construction period to reduce hardships and inconvenience and appealed to the public and those living along the road to bear with the contractors. He said funds were being sought to rehabilitate the remaining 57-kilometre Asankrangwa-Enchi trunk road to ensure the entire stretch was rehabilitated to facilitate the movement of goods and services.

Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, noted that until the year 2001 not a single feeder road in the region was tarred and thanked the government and donors for undertaking the project.