Understand the road sector before you comment – Amoako-Attah tells critics

Minister of Roads and Highways Kwasi Amoako-Attah has assured the country that more road projects are going to be constructed before the President leaves office.

He indicated that the President has already achieved several successes in the roads sector by constructing more roads than any other government in the Fourth Republic.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, March 15, the Aroiwa West Member of Parliament told critics the government to understand issues relating to the roads sector before they comment. Otherwise, he said, they will be proceeding on ignorance

He said while contributing to a debate on the state of the nation address that “Mr Speaker, many more roads are going to be added between now and December 2024 and by the time His Excellency the president leaves office, the people of this country will be amazed at the level that road infrastructure would have reached.

“All those who normally criticize the road sector should be careful because they must understand the language in that sector otherwise, if you don’t take care, in an attempt to criticize you may be expressing your ignorance of the sector.”

He further said the Ministry of Roads and Highways has the data on all roads that have been constructed in Ghana before and after Akufo-Addo took over as President of Ghana therefore all persons who are doubting Mr Akufo-Addo’s comment that his administration has built more roads than any other government in the Fourth Republic can visit the Ministry for the data to do the analysis.

He told Parliament that Mr Akufo-Addo’s comment is factual, inconvertible and backed by data and further urged Parliament to set up a bipartisan committee, if need be, to interrogate the claim of the President.

President Akufo-Addo in the address in Parliament on Wednesday, March 8, said that “Mr Speaker, I would like to state categorically that this Government has built more roads than any government in the history of the 4th Republic, and Mr. Speaker, the details of all these roads are attached in the annex to this message.”

He added, “I have done so because, last year, when I made a similar pronouncement, I was met with howls and gasps of incredulity from the Minority benches, and so I thought it’s appropriate, this time, to present it as an annex to the statement, which will be part of Hansard.”

But his comments were challenged by the Minority in Parliament.

The Minority Chief Whip Kwame Agbodza said the President’s statement contained factual inaccuracies.

He described President Nana Akufo-Addo’s comment as a ”barefaced lie.”

In a statement, Mr Agbodza who is also the Ranking Member of the Roads and Highways Committee of Parliament said “the claim that the Akufo-Addo government has constructed more Interchanges between (2017 – 2022), than the NDC (2009 – 2016), is an unfortunate fabrication that should not be peddled by no less a person than President Akufo-Addo.

“The attempt to expropriate for his government, the following projects, is most scandalizing and such dishonesty must be called out and condemned by all; Pokuase Interchange; Tema Motorway Interchange Phase 1; Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange Phase 1; Flowerpot

5. Suhum Interchange

“Funding for these projects was secured by the erstwhile Mahama/NDC administration, contracts signed and works ongoing before President Akufo-Addo and the NPP came into office in 2017. The Suhum Interchange project for instance was about 85% completed when the Mahama/NDC administration exited office in 2016. It is therefore disingenuous for the President to peddle such a confident lie and insist that this be recorded into the Hansard of Parliament as truth.”

But Mr Amoako-Attah “The President stated categorically that this government has built more roads than any government in the history of the Fourth Republic. The details of all these roads are attached in the annex to his message.

“These statements made by the president was factual, the statement was credible, the statement was dependable, the statement was incontestable, the statement was undisputed, the statement was incontrovertible and above all statement is verifiable by anybody who cares.

“It is backed by empirical data which is available at the Ministry of Road and Highways. I challenge any member of this House or any member of this country. This House can set up an independent bipartisan committee to investigate the data.”