Members of Parliament for Bantama, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to reconsider the government's decision to construct a new six-lane expressway between Accra and Kumasi.In a letter dated August 4, signed by the MP and shared with The Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday, he expressed deep concern over what he described as a potentially wasteful and imprudent move by the Mahama's administration.He questioned the rationale behind initiating an entirely new project when substantial progress had already been made on the ongoing dualisation of the same corridor."The Accra-Kumasi road remains the most critical arterial route in Ghana, linking our two largest cities and serving as a vital economic lifeline," Mr Asenso-Boakye stated."Over 100 kilometres of the 240km stretch have been completed, with another 46 kilometres under active construction, including strategic bypasses at Anyinam, Osino, Enyiresi, and Konongo," he added.According to the MP, records from the Ministry of Roads and Highways indicate that the physical progress on these bypasses ranges from 58 per cent to 100 per cent, leaving only 94 kilometres of work to be completed.Mr Asenso-Boakye, who is also a former Minister of Roads and Highways, criticised the announcement of a completely new expressway project, especially in light of the Roads Minister's own admission that a feasibility study is yet to be conducted.He noted that key components such as final designs, cost estimates, and funding arrangements had not yet been secured."Your Excellency stated publicly that construction will begin next year and be completed before your term ends; a timeline of less than three years," the MP wrote. "With my expertise and experience, I can say without fear of contradiction that this timeline is not feasible," he stated.He cautioned that such declarations, made before critical planning milestones have been met, risk undermining public confidence in infrastructure governance and investment planning.Quoting Article 35 (7) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates governments to continue development projects initiated by previous administrations, Mr Asenso-Boakye argued that discontinuing the current dualisation efforts would amount to a breach of constitutional responsibility and a setback for national development.While acknowledging concerns raised by the Roads Minister regarding alleged cost overruns and project variations, the MP insisted that such issues should be addressed through proper oversight and existing legal frameworks not by scrapping the entire project."In the context of Ghana's current fiscal constraints, it would be far more prudent to complete the existing dualisation project than to commence a new, significantly more expensive one," he advised. BY TIMES REPORTER
MP for Bantama expresses concern over new 6-lane construction - Ghanaian Times
Published:
2 hours ago
Source:
Ghanaian Times