Residents of Kwashie-Bu in the Ga Central Municipal Assembly have appealed to the assembly to speed up works on a storm drain which was abandoned two years ago.
Works on the drain after persistent complains from the residents, resumed about three months ago and it is the expectation of residents that construction work will be expedited.
The residents further appealed to the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) to improve the dilapidated road network in the area which has over the years impacted their businesses negatively.
Culvert
During a visit to the site by the Graphic Online, a resident who only gave his name as Ahmed confirmed to Graphic Online that the assembly had indeed completed some parts of the project but said cars still struggle to use the route.
“Some part of the culvert has been completed allowing cars to ply the area, however, commitment to speed up work on the site is very slow,” he said.
In separate interviews, other residents made a passionate appeal to authorities to complete all projects planned out for the area, saying: “It is our hope that after the completion of the project, drivers would also have the confidence to use road to bring back the once vibrant area.”
Observation
The Daily Graphic had in June this year published a feature on the then state of the culvert which posed danger to the residents of which the authorities promised to complete the project within an 8-months period.
However, four months into the scheduled completion showed only an insignificant progress on the project, with only a small portion covered up to allow cars to use.
About an hour spent at the site showed only two cars slowly plying the part of the culvert which had been covered, indicating that the area was still not safe.
The sides of the road also had some uncovered dug out holes, posing danger to lives of residents in the area.
Engineer
Speaking to the Head of Municipal Roads Department at the Ga Central Municipal Assembly, Mr Alexander Dordor, he explained that the contractor in charge of the project had for some time now complained about some arrears not paid him, hence, his lukewarm attitude to complete the project.
Asked why the contractor had not been paid, he said he had no control over the funds.
Road Project
Allaying the fears of the residence on construction of roads in their vicinity, the Regional Director of the DUR, Mrs Adwoa Doku, said the Urban Roads Authority will soon construct a 3.1km road in Kwashie-Bu and its surrounding areas.
She said the Urban Road Directorate has to that effect already made some publication in the newspapers to call for eligible tenders for some major road construction projects in four regions of which includes the Kwashie-bu road.
“We are currently going through the tendering process, after which we will do an evaluation report and then select a contractor who will begin the work,” she said.