<<Print>>

President John Mahama on Wednesday gave the assurance that the damaged bridge that had generated vehicular traffic on the Tema Motorway would be fixed within five weeks. He added that after interacting with the engineers on the road, indications were that the temporary route that was under construction to ease traffic congestion on the Motorway would however be completed within a week. President Mahama gave the assurance during an inspection of the damaged portion of the motorway to ascertain the extent of damage and mitigating measures to adopt for the earlier completion of the road. , President Mahama said government recognized the inconvenience users of the motorway were suffering, saying, �road engineers are working around the clock to repair it, so we appeal to you to bear with us.� Meanwhile, the President had instructed that one of the blocked lanes of the damaged portion of the motorway be opened to ease traffic congestion. The President disclosed that the government was in talks with some investors to undertake an expansion of the motorway into a six-lane highway, to enhance travel time on that stretch of road and to boost commercial activities. Due to repair works on the damaged bridge near the Accra Abattoir section of the motorway, that stretch of the motorway was blocked, causing heavy vehicular traffic and resulting in motorists having to endure several hours on an otherwise free-flowing road. Mr Michael Abbey, Chief Executive of the Ghana Highway Authority, said engineers were working both day and night to correct the defects on the bridge, adding that �a steel plate will be put across the entire bridge and in five weeks, we will fix the problem to restore normal flow of traffic." Among the President�s entourage was Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr Julius Debrah, Greater Accra Regional Minister, Dr. Daniel Darku Director of Urban Roads and Mr Ben Dotsei Malor, Head of Presidential Communications.