Volta Region Experiences Better Ghana Agenda

Mr. Nii Oakley Quaye Kumah, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways on Tuesday said the pursuit of the government’s development programme, the “Better Ghana” agenda is reverberating and affecting all facets of the national economy, including the road sector.

He said significantly, most arterial roads had seen improvement with others being worked on and majority awarded for construction.

Mr Kumah said this during the inauguration of a 25.6 kilometres of gravel engineered feeder roads under the Millennium Challenge Corporation/Millennium Development Authority (MCC/MiDA) project for Kpando district and Hohoe Municipality at Kpando-Gabi.

The roads christened “Lot VR3” are; Kpando-Kudzra, Kudzra-Aveti, TafiMador-Jordanu and LeklebiFiafe-VeAgorme-Ve Deme road networks.

He said improved road network is crucial to the socio-economic advancement of economies, particularly the selected feeder roads would bridge the transportation gap, enhance easy movement of goods and social services, reduce turn-around time and engender competition in the horticultural sector and above all reduce poverty.

Mr Kumah said the collaboration between MCC/MiDA and the government of the two countries was an attestation of Ghana’s determination to pursue development and was optimistic of the success of Compact Two.

He said the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) were complementing the efforts of MiDA in its road improvement activity to optimize access in rural Ghana.

Mr Kumah gave the assurance that as custodians in the management of roads and highway, the Ministry would profile a maintenance culture to prolong the lifespan of the projects, giving value for money.

Mrs Katerina Ntep, Country Director of MCC said discussions were advanced for the country to be placed on the second compact targeted to enhance productivity, cash flow and food security after the first trade-off valued at US$ 543 million.

Mrs Ntep appealed to Municipal and District assemblies to maintain the investment to gladden the hearts of taxpayers in the US.

Mr Martin Eson-Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer of MiDA said a total of 108 kilometres of feeder roads were re-engineered in the Volta Region out of 357 kilometres that was done across the country.

He said additional 46 kilometers of roads would be tackled in collaboration with the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Mr Henry Ametefee, Deputy Volta Regional Minister said government was committed to the judicious use of development resources to trigger accelerated growth to benefit the people.

He said the country’s democratic credentials qualified it for the enviable package, entreating all and sundry to consolidate the gains by remaining tolerant and civil in the impending biometric registration and the general elections, later in the year.

Ms Akua Sena Dansua, Minister of Tourism and Member of Parliament for North Dayi said it took lobbying and competition to bring some of the interventions to the area and that it felt proud to say Kpando was a beneficiary district out of 30 districts.

She appealed to the constituents to embrace the impending biometric voter registration exercise as a guarantee to enfranchise themselves.

Togbuiga Dagadu VIII, Paramount Chief of Akpini Traditional Area entreated development partners to make the investment complete by adding some of the remaining roads in the area to complete the circus.

He appealed to beneficiaries under the MiDA agricultural component to repay loans procured to enable others to benefit from the facility.

Mr Francs Ganyaglo, Kpando District Chief Executive suggested the addition of “missing link” roads including Aveti-AnfoegaAkukome, Dzigbe-Fesi, Fesi-AlavanyoKpeme-Nkonya networks as it was feared those roads could reduce the anticipated economic viability and impact of the completed works.

He commended MCC/MiDA, the contractor, consultants and traditional authorities for making the project a success.

Source: GNA