Commuters face frustrations on Ofankor-Nsawam road - Delay in project completion causing travel difficulties

Motorists using the Ofankor-Nwasam road go through daily frustrations due to incomplete road infrastructure, poor road network and the resultant dust it generates.

The delay in completing the project has left commuters enduring congested roads and choking dust despite widespread complaints about the road's appalling condition.

The $346.47 million project started on July 20, 2022, and was scheduled to be completed on July, 20, 2024.

However, a visit to the stretch recently showed that construction works remained at various stages of completion, with the majority of the roads in a bad shape.

Travelling from Amasaman, through Sapeiman, Medie to Nsawam junction is a harrowing experience, as the road is dotted with huge potholes, some of which are gaping craters.

The journey is, therefore, a nightmare for pedestrians, who are forced to cover their faces with handkerchiefs and masks to avoid inhaling the dust.

Some women have also taken to wearing scarves to protect their hair from dust storms. 

Ordeals

Frank Kwame Konoh, a driver on the Nsawam - Lapaz route, said the poor road had led to frequent vehicle breakdowns.

The Kutunse to Nsawam stretch 

"Car owners are now hesitant to lend us their vehicles due to the road's condition, and new owners are also refusing, citing the road's neglect," he said.

Mr Konoh said the situation was worse when rain falls as it causes heavy traffic.

He added that apart from the lack of streetlights, infrequent watering of the roads had resulted in excessive dust.

Mr Konoh, therefore, appealed to the sector ministry to prioritise repair of the road, while urging the contractor to level the road after rainfall to alleviate the plight of the people.

Another driver, who only gave his name as David, also said navigating the road in the evening was terrible.

Enoch Ababio, a grader operator, expressed frustration about the road's condition but remained hopeful that the government would accelerate the construction process. 

Financial challenges

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Resident Engineer in charge of Roads, Thomas Arthur, said the construction work had slowed due to financial constraints, and not abandoned.

The Pokuase to Nsawam road, Pictures: ESTHER ADJORKOR ADJEI 

He said the contractor was facing some financial difficulties, leading to the slow pace of construction, but gave the assurance that he was working to secure some funding while waiting for intervention from the government.

Mr Arthur also recognised the severity of the dust, and assured road users that efforts were being made to ensure frequent watering of the roads.

Tour

When the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, toured the road last Wednesday to understand at firsthand what was holding back the early completion of the priority road, the contractor working on the project, Asare Kwadwo Awuku, said lack of funds had slowed down the rehabilitation of the 33.4km Ofankor-Nsawam stretch.

Mr Awuku said the $346.5 million dualisation project was 74 per cent complete, but it had experienced a slow pace of execution, delaying its completion by the end of last year.

He said his company, Maripoma Enterprise Limited, a wholly Ghanaian-owned construction firm, put in an interim payment certificate (IPC) in the second week of January 2025 to raise funds for logistics to support the project.

“We are trying to get the certificate assessed to get the logistics to support us more. Even before putting in the claims, we have been looking at other sources to be able to get financial support but, unfortunately, we have not succeeded, but we have not exhausted every avenue,” he said.

Mr Agbodza was accompanied by his deputy, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, and other road engineers from the ministry and the Ghana Highways Authority.

Mr Agbodza urged the contractor to work with the Motor Traffic and Transport Division (MTTD) to see how to manage the dust and traffic situation on the road.

“There is a longer section which creates a lot of dust and inconvenience and we encourage you to keep watering to reduce the amount of dust,” he said.

Mr Agbodza acknowledged that majority of road contractors were having the crisis of not being paid because of the volume of work that had been awarded without any sustainable source of funding.