Mills: Government to undertake several road projects

President John Evans Atta Mills said on Thursday that his government would fast track the West Africa Transport and Transit project which will improve sections of the Central Corridor from Kintampo to Paga.

It would also fast track the Eastern Corridor project which will improve the Tema–Yendi-Tamale road links, completethe Bole-Bamboi road and continue work on the entire Western Corridor Project and implementation the road projects supported by the Millennium Challenge Account.

Delivering his maiden State of the Nation address to Parliament in Accra, President Mills said his government would also continue with programs such as the Urban Transport project which aimed at providing mass transit facilities and services in metropolitan areas.

The project would also provide the framework for better management of urban road transport services in Ghana, he said.

Government will work to eliminate duplication and streamline the policy direction for mass transit to ensure that Ghana obtains the maximum benefits from these initiatives.

President Mills noted that the vehicle population was growing at about 8% per annum, with cars and buses contributing 30% and 8% respectively to the growth.

“In areas such as Accra and Kumasi, the dominant mode of transport is the car with occupancy levels of about two per car.

“The vehicular volumes of about 55,000 per day on the Airport Road, 20,000 per day on the Spintex Road and 30,000 per day on the La-Teshie road make traffic congestion is inevitable.”

The President said consequently, the country was experiencing economic losses in terms of loss of productivity, high cost of transport services and high operating costs of transport services.

“Collaboration of the road sector managers, enforcement agencies and the Metropolitan and Municipal assemblies will be important in resolving identified congestion bottlenecks and avoid the creation of new ones,” he said.