We’ll ensure proper maintenance of Flower Pot Interchange – Urban Roads

The Director of Urban Roads, Ing. James Amoo-Gottfried, has reassured the public of the government’s commitment to maintaining the newly inaugurated Flower Pot Interchange, a project aimed at easing traffic congestion and boosting urban mobility in the Greater Accra Region.

The GH¢677,839,999.5 project was officially opened by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, November 19.

The commissioning of the interchange, however, was immediately accompanied by concerns regarding its maintenance and the potential misuse of the spaces around it.

Greater Accra Regional Minister, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover, cautioned against the proliferation of unauthorised structures, including kiosks and hawker stalls, which he said could undermine the aesthetic appeal and functionality of the flyover.

In response to these concerns, Ing. James Amoo-Gottfried elaborated on the government’s strategy to ensure the facility’s longevity during an interview with Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show on Citi FM.

He highlighted the importance of proactive measures, including collaborations with private stakeholders, to maintain the structural integrity and cleanliness of the interchange, as well as to optimize the use of the spaces beneath it.

“When the project is substantially complete, we have what we call the defect notification period which the contractor will have responsibility over the next year. Per any defect that occurs, the contractor will have to fix it at his own cost.

“In terms of other maintenance, we will put a regime in place to ensure that any defect that occurs will be fixed after the defect notification period of one year.

“With regards to selling and hawking around, you will realise that we have created a lot of spaces underneath that we want to activate and use positively. We have also advertised in the newspapers to seek managers who are interested in managing the space for us based on the permissible uses and I am expecting some private involvement in managing and maintaining the spaces underneath.”