There are fears that the residents of Sekondi Takoradi metropolis are missing out on two major infrastructural developments.
The construction of a first three-tier interchange and the Takoradi Market Circle redevelopment project have both come to a halt.
In September 2020, Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia cut the sod for the construction of the first three-tier interchange in Takoradi at the Kwame Nkrumah Roundabout.
The interchange, expected to ease traffic flow considerably, is in fulfillment of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2016 campaign promise to provide the Metropolis with better road networks.
Takoradi interchange would bring to six the number of interchanges the Government had started in its first term comprising the Tema, Obetsebi Lamptey, Pokuase, Nungua, and Tamale interchanges.
According to the Vice President, now flagbearer, he indicated , the interchange was part of the Master Project Support Agreement between the Government of Ghana and the SinoHydro Corporation with the first phase covering 441 km of roads and two interchanges; the Tamale and Takoradi interchanges.
Actual construction work on the interchange did not start immediately until August 2021. With a stipulated schedule of 30 months, the expectation was to ensure completion by July 2023.
Work on the project continued steadily, until an abrupt halt in January 2023. This was attributed to conditions that came with Ghana’s IMF deal.
As the project is being financed through the Sinohydro Master Project Support agreement between Ghana and the Chinese government undertaken by Sinohydro Corporation, one of the major conditions from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Ghana for a bailout was to put all barter projects on hold thus affecting the PTC interchange construction.
The assurance came from the western regional minister who doubles as the member of parliament for Takoradi, Honorable Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, that the contractors will resume work by September 2023.
This is yet to materialize, since then, the ramifications have been enormous as commuters and business persons around the construction site have to grapple with dust on a daily basis.
This makes commuting around the central business district very tedious. Vehicular traffic builds up even during nonrush hours, motorists have to endure the deteriorated road thus impacting them adversely with frequent breakdowns coupled with low returns.
According to sources, the ongoing construction of some 6 selected roads in Sekondi and Takoradi and an interchange at the Paa Grant Roundabout which commenced in March 2022 by completion would have merged with PTC interchange project.
Similarly another important project, in the Sekondi Takoradi metropolis, which is the Takoradi Market Circle reconstruction has come to a halt.
These two projects are of great importance ,and would play a crucial role in influencing voters come the 2024 general elections, for the the people in Takoradi the anticipation is that these project would be completed soon.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kobina Amuah
