The Minority Caucus in Parliament has criticised the government for failing to improve the country’s road network in spite of the huge investment injected into that sector. 

For instance, it said since 2009, the government had injected a total of GH¢4.7 billion into the road sector but had very little to show.

The Minority Spokesperson on Roads and Transport, Mr Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, who made the point at a press conference in Parliament yesterday, said the nation’s road network had deteriorated as a result of poor, inadequate and untimely maintenance interventions.

Few roads are good

Mr Aduomi said about 42 per cent of the country’s road network was in good condition before the government took over in 2009 but as of December last year, the figure had dropped to 35 per cent.

“The nation’s road network stood at 37,321 km at the end of fiscal year 2000. It increased to 56,057 km at the end of 2004, and moved further up to 67,291 km at the close of year 2008. It has since then increased slightly to 71,419 km at the end of 2015,” he said.

Mr Aduomi said the nation’s road network increased by 18,736 km and 29,970 km during the four and eight years of the NPP-led administration respectively and added that at the end of year 2008, the road network size the Kufuor-led government met as of the end of December 2000 had been increased by about 80 per cent.

As a result, he said, many communities, especially commercial crop and food-growing areas, were opened up to the marketing centres.

Mr Aduomi said the Department of Feeder Roads’ network increased by 18,195 km under his party’s leadership and facilitated increased production of commercial crops for export and food for domestic consumption.

“The network, since the exit of the NPP-led administration, that is seven years on, has increased by only 4,128 km as of the end of the December 2015 fiscal year. Many cocoa, coffee and food-growing areas remain inaccessible by road. It is sad to note that the network of feeder roads that has been structured to serve the hinterlands remain unchanged since the end of 2008,” he said.

Road maintenance

Mr Aduomi said the nation’s road network had suffered the worst maintenance in the history of the country since the NDC-led administration took over in January 2009.

Maintenance of roads, he said, had been persistently poor and erratic and had been relegated to the background, resulting in the rapid deterioration of roads.

“Road surface defects such as potholes, high shoulder build-ups, severe corrugation, deep gullies, slippery gravel surfaces, soft spots, bushy roadside vegetation among other defects are still predominant on our roads.”

“Roads selected for either major upgrading or rehabilitation to bituminous surfacing and others for expansion by reconstruction to accommodate increased vehicular traffic volumes and reduce traffic congestions had progressed at an unacceptably slow pace since January 2009,” he said, and added that the desired levels of service those roads were expected to provide for the growth of the nation’s economy and reduction of poverty had not been achieved.

Complete roads

Mr Aduomi urged the government to concentrate on the completion of the numerous road and bridge projects by limiting the award of new ones.

Besides, he said, there was the need for the government to wean itself from its love for sole sourcing and restricted tendering methods of procurement and allow for open competitive tendering on at least 80 per cent of all projects.

Mr Aduomi asked the government to, as quickly as practicable, release to the Road Fund all outstanding amounts due it.

He again requested for additional funds to pay all outstanding bills due contractors to minimise payments of interests compounded monthly on invoices delayed beyond the contractual payment period.

Source: graphic.com