Expansion of Tema-Aflao road into six lanes begins

The project under the export-Credit Finance is being funded by the UK government at competitive interest rates and very favourable terms and supported by commercial banks, including Absa in Ghana at $105 million.

The width of the road will take 100 meters with 50 meters on each side. The Lower Volta Bridge at Sogakorpe in the Volta Region will be expanded as well.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut sod on Sunday, October 25, 2020, and it aims to upgrade the dual carriageway to international standards of 10 lanes -six lanes on the motorway and four lanes in total for local traffic.

The project is part of the 170 kilometres ECOWAS highway route. It will provide uninterrupted traffic flows to other parts of the region and subsequently facilitate trade and transit in the West African Sub-Region.

The 17km road project begins 1km east of the Tema Expressway Roundabout, incorporating mixed-use towns such as Dawhenya, and ends approximately 3km east of the Central University intersection.

The Abidjan – Lagos Corridor Road is a highway divided into three Lots. Lot 1 is from Abidjan in Ivory Coast to Apemenim in the Western Region of Ghana. Lot 2 starts from Apemenim to Akanu in the Volta Region of Ghana and Lot 3 falls from Akanu to Lagos in Nigeria. PEARL Consultancy was awarded the contract for Lot 2 and are expected to complete their side of work by mid-2021.

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The Corridor project when fully implemented is expected to promote the free movement Agenda of ECOWAS, generate social and economic activities, promote cross-border trade and integrate the economies of countries in the region. This will contribute to the reduction of poverty levels of the population that depends on the transport modes of the corridor for livelihood.

The Project Consultant, Magnus Quarshie, proposed the temporary measure to the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah when he visited the project site last Tuesday as part of his tour of some roads in the Greater Accra Region.

According to him, "The growing traffic in the area has seen most motorists mostly using the shoulders of the road, and that also goes to compromise safety on the road. However, when there is a traffic signal and every motorist is aware that it will get to their turn, there will be some form of discipline, which could significantly reduce congestion."

The project will be carried out by BHM Construction International, a British company in the business of construction, improvement, and maintenance works for airports, roads, marine, and mining facilities.