A/R: Govt to terminate some road contracts – Osei-Mensah

The Ashanti regional minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, has disclosed that the government is set to terminate some road contracts in the Ashanti region due to delays.

The government has also given assurances of its strong commitment to completing major roads linking farming communities in the Ashanti region to its regional capital, Kumasi and other regions.

Simon Osei-Mensah who is the Ashanti Regional Minister said the poor road network within the Asante Akim South Municipality is negatively impacting residents in and around the municipality.

He said the major road between Komeaboye and Kokoben which is 12km and the road project between Obogu to Kumeso, which is about 8km will be terminated and given to a different contractor for completion due to delays.

“Some of the roads were awarded to three contractors. Unfortunately, the contractors at the beginning and the end have completed their projects and those within the middle parts have not completed. One of them [the roads] is about eight kilometres and the other is about 12 kilometres which we think must be terminated and re-awarded, possibly to the contractor who constructed the other roads within the same vicinity.

“Again, there are some critical routes we need to also have a look at, and that is between Obogu and Kumeso, which is about 8.5 kilometres. That road is very critical because it links Asante South Municipal Assembly to the Eastern region, that is Birim North and this is a very critical road.”

The minister made the disclosures after inspecting the upgraded Juaso through Nkwanta to Obogu 7km road construction, Banka through Otuokwai to Kokoben 10km, Komeaboye to Saabo junction.