The Ministry of Roads and Highways is working to ensure that works on asphalt overlay of roads within the Greater Kumasi jurisdiction are completed on time.

Mr. Kwasi Amoako-Atta, the sector Minister, who stated this said “we are anticipating that a total of 500 kilometers of asphalt overlay of roads within this jurisdiction would be finished by year 2020”.

This development, according to the Minister, was a big step towards expanding socio-economic activities in an area, which had not seen any major facelift of its road networks for so many years.

“Between 1984 and 1989, Greater Kumasi benefitted from 110 kilometers of asphalted overlay of its roads undertaken by Messrs Limex Bau Construction Limited.

Since that time, no major rehabilitation or road construction works had been done to open up the area for development” Mr. Amoako-Atta told a press conference in Kumasi, and expressed worry over the deplorable nature of some of the roads.

Currently, he said, 156 different road projects were being undertaken in the area by different contractors, including Messrs. Attachy, Kofi Job and Contracta Engineering Limited, a Brazilian construction firm.

They cover rehabilitation of roads in the cocoa growing areas, road network at the Judicial Service premises, some selected schools and hospitals, amongst others.

Information pieced together by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) indicated that the Ashanti Region has an estimated total road network of 9, 692 kilometers, and out of this 3, 475 kilometers are considered to be in good shape.

Mr. Amoako-Atta said the rest could be described as either fair or poor, noting that government under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was leaving no stone unturned to improve on the situation.

The Minister pointed out that feasibility studies, detailed designs and financing options were being undertaken currently by the government on the construction of four interchanges in Kumasi.

They include Oforikrom, Suame, Ahodwo-Santasi and Airport Roundabout Interchanges - all meant to facilitate socio-economic development and activities.

Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, the Regional Minister, said the Regional Coordinating Council was coordinating with all the Districts for the successful execution of the road projects.

They would ensure regular supervision and monitoring in order to check shoddy work on the part of contractors.