Cape Coast, May 19, GNA - Mr Kofi Boama-Djan, Central Regional Director of Ghana Highways Authority on Monday said the collapse of Cape Coast quarry, the only quarry in the Region, had made it difficult for road contractors to readily procure chippings for effective work. He said most of the road contractors in the Region had to either travel to Greater Accra or Ashanti Regions to purchase chippings, thereby delaying their work and at extra cost.

Mr Boama-Djan announced this when members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport inspected some urban and feeder roads awarded on contract by the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly as part of their week-long visit to the Region.

The committee led by its Chairman, Mr Albert Kwaku Obbin, inspected the upgrading of the 3.9 kilometre Brimsu Water Works road, 5.6 kilometre partial reconstruction of the Adisadel College and OLA estate road and the 3.4 kilometre surfacing of Abura-Wiamoa and Cape Coast Polytechnic roads all estimated at about GH¢ 1,450,030.

Mr Boama-Djan expressed concern about the encroachment of lands designated for road construction, as a result of which more than GH¢ 2,700,000 compensation had been paid to the affected people. He said each day new structures such as residential accommodation, fuel and gas filing stations sprung up along these designated areas thereby making it very difficult to expand such roads. Mr Boama-Djan appealed to the committee to help educate the public not to build close to roads which would eventually be demolished for expansion.

He said inadequate staffing was affecting the effective monitoring and supervision of road construction in the Region and appealed for efforts to address the problem. Mr Obbin who is also Member of Parliament for Prestea-Huni-Valley, expressed appreciation for work so far done on the roads since the contracts were awarded in June last year and were expected to be completed next year.

He said construction of drains, culverts and retaining walls by most of the contractors, indicated that they could complete their projects on schedule.

Mr Obbin advised those who had not yet presented their certificates on their contracts to present them to avoid any delay in payment. Alhaji Amadu Seidu, Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu and Ranking Member, advised the contractors to use quality materials for their work and urged them to complete their work on schedule. On encroachment, he called on road agencies to liaise with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to help address the situation. Earlier they paid a courtesy call on Mr Samuel Obodai, Deputy Central Regional Minister, who commended them for the visit. He called on road agencies in the Region to offer the needed support to the committee to work effectively.