• Government has earmarked GH¢1.9 billion to undertake asphalt overlays

• This is expected to cover some 1,500 kilometres of roads in major towns and cities

• Ghana has a road network spanning 78,000 kilometres, with only 23 percent paved

The Government of Ghana has set aside an amount of GH¢1.9 billion to allow road contractors undertake asphalt overlays, the Roads and Highways Minister has said.

According to Kwasi Amoako-Attah the works will commence from this year to 2024 and will cover 1,500 kilometres of asphalt overlays in major towns and cities.

Addressing journalists during the minister’s press briefing on Sunday, May 23, the Roads Minister revealed Ghana has a road network spanning 78,000 kilometres, with only 23 percent paved.

“From 2017 to May 2021, 1,301km of asphalt overlays were constructed, but the vision now is to increase it to 1,500km between now till the end of the second term of the New Patriotic Party administration,” the minister said.

Ordinarily a norm of road construction will see that asphalt overlays improve the quality of the road and vehicle movement. It also reduces noise levels, and the full life cycle costs of road surfaces.