Over GH¢2bn needed to fix Ghana’s dilapidated roads – Construction Chamber

The Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI) has stated that fixing the challenges plaguing the road sector will require a minimum investment of GH¢2 billion.

The Chamber believes the GH¢150 million allocated by the government to road contractors for nationwide pothole patching is grossly insufficient.

In an interview with Our News Team, Emmanuel Cherry, the Chamber’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to increase funding due to the rising cost of materials crucial for road maintenance.

“You don’t need anything less than GH¢2 billion as we speak because the entire roads in the country have been neglected for years and then the potholes have now degenerated into manholes and so the amount of money that could have been used two years ago to fix the same stretch of roads, that amount is no longer going to fix that same stretch because the prices of goods and services are no longer the same.”

The CEO also criticized the former Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako Atta, for his lack of transparency and limited consultations when making decisions.

“He is a friend to the industry, and he knows the terrain very well and the only thing that he may have above his predecessor is that he is open and welcomes everybody and solicits ideas from all quarters, unlike his predecessor, who unilaterally does his own things, thinking that he doesn’t need anybody.”