Accra, June 9, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday performed the ceremony for re-construction work to begin on the GH¢ 38.7 million Madina-Pantang section of the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange-Manfe road.

The 5.6 kilometre dual carriageway would complete the development of the entire corridor. Already the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange and the Pantang-Manfe-Akuapem roads had been completed, while work on the Madina section is on-going.

The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) are financing the project with counterpart funding by the Government.

The job awarded to China Water and Electric Corporation is expected to be completed within 18 months. President Kufuor charged the Transportation Ministry and its agencies to step up their supervisory and monitoring roles to help Ghana get value for money for the numerous on-gong road projects. Road users, on their part, should endeavour to safeguard the integrity of the road network and other national assets provided at huge costs to the tax payer.

President Kufuor described the project as yet another milestone in the Government's resolve and commitment to provide sound and reliable social and economic infrastructure base, to facilitate and enhance the productive capacity of the people.

The road development programme pursued over the last seven years had proved to be a welcome catalyst to the positive pace of the socio-economic transformation taking place in the country, he noted. He used the occasion to convey appreciation to Ghana's development partners for their financial and technical support. "Indeed, their support and co-operation have gone a long way to facilitate the achievement of this remarkable success." President Kufuor said he was confident that with the tremendous success made, the nation could continue to count on their support and cooperation.

Dr Richard Anane, Transportation Minister, said the successful completion of the project would ease the present traffic congestion on that route to the capital city, Accra, from the Eastern Region. The reduction of travel time, he said, would benefit traders and workers who commuted to work in Accra along the Koforidua-Akuapem Ridge-Accra route.

The Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ms Theresa Amarley Tagoe, said the region had had its fair share of development and that the country was on the right path to development.