Kumasi, Feb. 20, GNA- The government is to convert three major artery roads linking Kumasi into dual carriageways.

They are the Mampong road from Ahwiaa to Suame roundabout, the Sunyani road from Abuakwa through Sofoline roundabout, Bekwai roundabout to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and the section of the Ring Road from Asokwa through Ahodwo roundabout, Santasi roundabout to Sofoline roundabout.

President John Agyekum Kufuor announced this when he cut the sod for work to begin on a 74 billion cedis Asafo Market to UTC interchange in Kumasi on Friday.

The International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank is providing 66.6 billion cedis and the Ghana Government contributing 7.4 billion cedis towards the project, which would be completed in 18 months.

Additionally, he said, intersection or interchange would be constructed at the Sofoline roundabout and Suame roundabout to facilitate a more efficient flow of traffic.

President Kufuor said the procurement processes, which would culminate in the construction of these roads and interchanges had begun, adding that consultancy services for the study and detailed design of the roads had already been awarded and would be completed by June this year with funding for the design provided by IDA.

He also announced that the Oforikrom interchange had been designed with funds provided by the government and that other designs to be carried out this year would include the Oforikrom-Asokwa bypass, the Lake-Kyirapatre road from Asafo through Dadiesoaba to the Ramseyer Institute and the roads at Bomso, Anloga, Asokwa and Ahinsan.

President Kufuor said the construction of the Inland Port at Boankra would generate heavy traffic on that section of the Accra-Kumasi road and in order to reduce the anticipated impact of the traffic and to further decongest the city of northern-bound trucks and vehicles, a 75-kilometre Outer Ring Road will be constructed and that it would commence from Kwamo and link up all the major trunk roads which feed into Kumasi.

"I expect that the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) will fully complement government's efforts by keeping the roads clean by planting ornamental trees to restore Kumasi to its former beauty and enviable accolade as the "Garden City of West Africa", as well as improvement in sanitation towards the modernisation of the city".

President Kufuor said it was pertinent to remind ourselves that currently, over 80 percent of funds for road construction come from the country's development partners and that it was imperative that a credible and sustainable maintenance programme is put in place and strictly adhered to.

He reminded residents of the metropolis who had attained the age of 18 and were therefore eligible to vote in this year's elections to register in the forthcoming registration exercise to be able to exercise their franchise.

Dr Richard Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport, pointed out that all road projects being undertaken by the government were all initiated by the present administration and not by any other government and being continued by the NPP.

He explained that the existing reinforced concrete bridge over the rail line linking the Asafo Market to the UTC roundabout was constructed in 1950s and had now become too narrow to accommodate the current and future traffic of the city.

He said the vehicular population in Kumasi has risen steadily at an average annual growth rate of about 10 percent from 45,654 in 1996 to 100,666 as at the end of 2003.

The completion of the project therefore, would ease traffic congestion especially between the Asafo, Adum and the Kejetia market, describing the Kejetia market as reputed to be the largest in the West African sub-region and the nerve centre of economic activities in the whole of the northern portion of the country.

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, called for unity among the people and asked them to pay their taxes to enable the government to carry out more of such development projects in the country.

Nana Susubribi Krobea Asante, Omanhene of Asokore on behalf of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, commended the government for the many projects it had initiated to improve upon the living conditions of the people.

He expressed the hope that the Asafo market interchange and those yet to come would help restore Kumasi to its past glory.