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Adomi bridge to be ready next month

Officials at the site appear to be saving the best information for the last but they did indicate that the project was on course and would be, barring any unforeseen circumstances, delivered at the end of November 2015.

Adomi bridge

Motorists who use the Adomi Bridge to connect to their various destinations in the Eastern and Volta regions can now heave a sigh of relief as rehabilitation works near completion.

Per the project schedule, the contractor, Messrs Bilfinger of Austria is expected to hand over the bridge, located in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region next month.

The project is being executed at the cost of 12.9 million Euros.

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Scope of work

Under the contract, Messrs Bilfinger is replacing the entire bridge deck with a new one, which officials confirmed had been completed.

The replacement of 40 hanger cables, which also forms a major component of the project has also been completed. The hanger cables hold the bridge in place.

Even though the old deck was made of concrete on steel, the new bridge would be of asphalt on steel as the concrete was much heavier, but that aspect of the work has just started.

The two walkways on each side of the bridge would, however, be made of concrete on steel, which had also been done at the time of the Daily Graphic’s visit.

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What is being done

The September monthly progress meeting report on the project also indicated that sandblast (removal of old paint on the arch,  and hanger cables) was ongoing to prepare the metals for the application of the corrosion protection paints.

Background

Rehabilitation works on the Adomi Bridge, the first suspension bridge in the country, which serves as a major connection for motorists moving out of the Greater Accra Region to the Volta Region and beyond, as well as parts of the Eastern Region, began in March 2014.

The works according to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), became critical following the development of cracks on sections of the bridge. The bridge was constructed between 1955 and 1957 and this is the first major rehabilitation works on it.

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Challenges

Under the contract, the government is required to give tax exemptions to the contractor but the Project Manager, Mr Paul Herrmann, said the company was yet to receive the Tax Exemption Certificate even though it was at the final stage of its work.

He said the company received a ‘letter of comfort’ from the Ministry of Roads and Highways on March 17, 2014 to present to local suppliers.

However, “this letter is not accepted by any supplier. Suppliers who accepted the letter initially had problems with the tax authorities and had to claim the VAT and NHIL afterwards”, he stated.

"This exemption, which we don't have, is one of the challenges we are facing, causing us expenses we are not prepared for," he stressed.

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Alternative routes

Meanwhile, the two ferries which were launched prior to the closure of the bridge are still operational. The Akuse-Old Akrade road, which was constructed by the GHA to serve as an alternative route is also open to traffic. The road provides access from Akuse Junction.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

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