Transport Minister cuts the sod to construct bridge on River Tano

Mehame (B/A), Jan. 25, GNA – Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Transport on Tuesday cut the sod for work to commence on the construction of a metal bridge over River Tano on the Mehame-Dadiesoba feeder road in Asutifi District of Brong-Ahafo.

The project, expected to be completed in March this year, is being executed by the Bridge Maintenance Unit of the Ghana Highway Authority at the cost of GHc300,000.

The deplorable condition of the old wooden bridge on the river has been a great worry to residents in the two cocoa producing communities as they are always cut-off from each other during the rainy season.

Alhaji Dauda explained that the government was committed to ensuring that the national cake was shared equally irrespective of political inclination.

He said the newly created Asutifi South was carved out of Asutifi District to facilitate the speedy development of the area.

Alhaji Dauda advised the people, especially the chiefs not to allow the sitting of the district capital to create divisions among them since that would obviously stall development.

He explained that the on-going construction of the Mehame-Nkwanta-Mehame-Dadiesoaba road as well as the bridge was a clear indication that the government was prepared to help alleviate the plight of residents.

The Transport Minister said additional 280 boreholes would be constructed this year to enable all communities in the area to access potable drinking water.

Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Regional Minister, said for the past three years the government had spent GHc184 million on road constructions in the Region.

He said last year alone 10 cocoa roads were constructed at the cost of GHc18 million and advised the people to renew the mandate of the government in the general election.

Mr. Eric Addae, District Chief Executive, said the area had seen tremendous development under the "Better Ghana" agenda and advised the people to unite and cooperate with the Assembly to accelerated development in the area.

Nana Owusu Kontor, Chief of Mehame, said the people appreciated the number of development projects in the area within the past three years and appealed to the Transport Minister to personally intervene to ensure that the bridge was completed on schedule.

The chiefs and people of Mehame, Dadiesoaba and Seinkyem later conferred a chieftaincy title on Alhaji Dauda under the stool name Nana Sompahene (good servant) Alhaji for his tremendous contributions to the development of the communities.

GNA