Roads Minister directs GHA to establish bitumen testing facilities in three regions

The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has directed the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to establish bitumen testing facilities in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Northern Regions to strengthen quality assurance and improve access to testing services for road construction projects.

The directive follows concerns over inadequate bitumen supply, which contractors have identified as one of the major constraints slowing progress on ongoing road projects under the Big Push programme.

The Minister gave the directive at a meeting with bitumen suppliers to discuss supply challenges and measures to ensure the availability of the essential road construction material.

He called for stronger collaboration among suppliers to meet the demand, while urging them to improve efficiency in the supply and distribution chain to prevent disruptions to project implementation.

Mr Agbodza also encouraged suppliers to explore Ghana's domestic capacity to produce bitumen, saying greater reliance on local production could strengthen supply and support the country's road infrastructure development.

The suppliers, in response, assured the Minister that contractors' requests for bitumen would be met and pledged their commitment to ensuring the timely execution of road projects across the country.

The testing facilities, when established, are expected to strengthen quality control and make testing services more accessible to road construction projects in the three regions.