President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned Tamale Interchange, the fourth interchange to be commissioned by Government since 2017 – the Tema Motorway Phase 1 Interchange, Obetsebi Lamptey Phase1 Interchange and the 4-tier Pokuase Interchange were three interchanges already commissioned.
The Tamale Interchange is one of the projects under the Sino Hydro Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) between Governments of Ghana and China.
Under the MPSA, the People’s Republic of China would build US$2 billion worth of priority infrastructure projects across Ghana, in exchange for Ghanaian manufactured aluminium products to Sinohydro.
The Tamale Interchange, according to M/S Sinohydro, the contractors, is a pre-stressed concrete continuous bridge, with very few joints to enhance driving comfort. It involves the construction of some 1.1 kilometres of roads on the Interchange, the provision of good drainage systems, the erection of streetlights, and ten kilometres of asphaltic overlay around the Interchange.
At the commissioning ceremony in Tamale, President Akufo-Addo said the Interchange represents an example of the excellent relations between Ghana and China.
President Akufo-Addo said seven interchanges, namely Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange Phase2; PTC Roundabout Interchange; Nungua Interchange -Part of the La Beach Road widening Project-Lot 2; Adjiriganor Overpass; Flower Pot Interchange; Tema Motorway Interchange Phase 2; and Suame Interchange in Kumasi are either ongoing or planned to start this year.
He added that, apart from the construction of the interchanges, Government has undertaken critical road projects to improve urban mobility across the country, which would reduce travel times on our highways.
He expressed delight at the completion of the project, three months ahead of schedule in the midst of a global pandemic that has brought considerable disruption to every phase of national life.
Sinohydro Project
Under Phase One of the Sinohydro Project, a total of 441km of roads and two interchanges were to be constructed. Out of this, Vice President Bawumia commissioned the Lot 8 projects under the Sino Hydro Project, which involved the upgrading of 68kms of selected feeder roads in Ashanti and Western Regions, last Friday, 25th March.
These include construction of some one thousand, two hundred kilometres (1,200kms) of asphalt overlay works in President Akufo Addo’s first term of office. Beneficiary cities include Accra, Kumasi, Tema, Cape Coast, Sekondi-Takoradi and Hohoe. In Accra, some of the areas that have benefited include Weija-Gbawe, Dansoman, Abossey Okai, Osu, Adentan, Bubuashie, Sakumono and Mempeasem.
As part of the critical roads project, some selected roads in Tamale, Yendi, Walewale, Gambaga, Nalerigu and Damongo have been asphalted. The Ministry of Roads and Highways has programmed to complete one thousand, five hundred kilometres (1,500 kms) of asphalt overlay works between 2021 and 2024.
Other projects include the rehabilitation of the 106 kilometre Tamale to Yendi Road by M/S China Water and Electric; the rehabilitation of the sixty-two-kilometre (62km) Yendi to Zabzugu Road by China Jianxhi Ltd; and the rehabilitation of six hundred and seventy kilometres (670kms) of feeder roads in the Upper West Region.
The remaining are the reconstruction of the Tamale to Walewale Road Phase 1, which will improve the section between Savelugu and Walewale and work will commence in the second quarter of this year, the section between Tamale and Savelugu to be widened into a dual carriageway; commencement of the dualisation of the Sekondi/Adiembra Roads in Sekondi-Takoradi in the second quarter of 2022; rehabilitation of Agona Junction-Tarkwa Highway; and rehabilitation of AssinFoso-AssinPraso Highway.
Present at the ceremony were the Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and Ya-Naa Mahama Abukari II.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
