Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has cut the sod for the construction of the first interchange in the Western Region at the Kwame Nkrumah Roundabout in Ghana’s third largest City, Takoradi.
The interchange which is expected to ease traffic flow considerably and shorten travel time for commuters in the area is part of the government’s campaign promise to provide the area with better road networks in the 2016 electioneering campaign.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony, Dr. Bawumia disclosed that the interchange will bring to six (6) the number of interchanges in the country that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has started in the first term of office among the likes of Tema interchange, Obetsebi Lamptey interchange, Pokuase interchange, Nungua interchange and the Tamale interchange.
He explained that the construction of the PTC interchange is part of the Master Project Support Agreement between the Government of Ghana (GoG) and the SinoHydro Corporation with the first phase of the SinoHydro Project covering 441 km of roads and two interchanges, one being the Tamale interchange which is the first in the northern part of Ghana and the PTC as the second.
He added that the PTC Roundabout is part of three roundabouts that are on the periphery of the Central Business District (CBD) of Takoradi with the others as the Paa Grant and the Shippers’ Roundabouts.
Dr. Bawumia noted that the performance of these roundabouts have a major impact on travel times within the CBD of Takoradi and on the connecting roads which gives an indication of a congestion due to the rapid growth of traffic within the Twin-City.
He stressed that the construction of the PTC interchange therefore fits into the government’s program of improving the road infrastructure of the Sekondi-Takoradi and to modernize the Twin-City as it will remove a major bottleneck in Takoradi and allow free flow of traffic around the area.
Apart from the construction of the PTC interchange, the government is also undertaking some major road improvements in the Metropolis such as the improvement in the road network around the Paa Grant roundabout by widening the Sekondi road and the Accra road into dual carriage roads.
The Vice-President further disclosed that Cabinet has approved a loan agreement for the construction of the Paa Grant Roundabout interchange Phase 1 and expected to begin before the end of the year 2020.
Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah, Minister for Roads and Highways said that the PTC interchange is an intersection of five roads such as Agona-Nkwanta road, Sekondi Bypass, Cape Coast road, Liberation road and Axim road.
He enumerated the objectives of the PTC interchange as improving the capacity of the intersection and minimizing congestion, improving travel time on the connecting roads, ensuring safety of commuters and other road users, and to address the drainage challenge around the roundabout.
He said, the 3-tier interchange when completed would have street lights, walkways and Public Transport Facilities which will improve the capacity of the intersection and ensure safety of all road users.
He added that the project is expected to be completed in 30 months and would be undertaken by Mssrs SinoHydro Corporation Limited.
Western Regional Minister, Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah said that the various projects being undertaking by the Nana Akufo-Addo led government are expected to create over 350 jobs.
Story: Seth Ameyaw Danquah
