GRi in Parliament Ghana 09 - 05

GRi in Parliament Ghana 09 - 05 - 2001

Accra (Greater Accra) 09 May 2001

Parliament on Tuesday commenced its first sitting of the second meeting of Parliament in the first session of the third Parliament of the Fourth Republic after four weeks recess with "notice of questions" concerning the road sector mainly.

Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, Speaker, welcoming the members urged the legislators to keep to the sitting time and asked that the caucus meetings should be suspended.

"Sitting time is uncomfortable to some members but until the issue is revisited members should keep to the present time," he added

Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Roads and Highways said the Techiman-Kintampo road is to be rehabilitated as part of the "first order priority roads" under the road sector development programme for the period of 2001 - 2005.

He said preliminary engineering designs and feasibility studies have been completed on the road and the results have showed that the rehabilitation works would be economically viable.

Mr Adjei- Darko, who was answering a question by Mr Yaw Effah-Baafi, MP

Kintampo, said the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) is in the process of selecting

a consultant to review the design and to undertake construction supervision during the implementation stage.

Meanwhile, he said the Brong Ahafo Regional office of the GHA is to undertake routine maintenance on the road to make it motorable.

Mr Kwakye Addo, MP, Afram Plains South, asked the Minister when work would

resume on the tarring of the Ekye-Amanfrom-Amakwakrom road and arrangements made to rehabilitate the 17.5 kilometre portion, which has been tarred and is

already riddled with pot holes.

Mr Adjei-Darko said the 96-kilometre road is the main trunk road spanning the Eastern Region portion of the Afram Plains but about half of it lies in a flat

terrain with weak soils and is rendered unmotorable during the rainy seasons.

The Department of Feeder Roads is to undertake routine maintenance of the road and also clear the bushes along the roads.

Mr Joseph Tsatsu Agbenu, MP Afram Plains North, wanted to know when work on

the Donkorkrom-Bruben road, which links the fishing and farming communities of the Dwarf Island, would begin.

Mr Adjei-Darko said the 25- kilometre road has been programmed for rehabilitation in phases and provision has been made for the first 10 kilometres in the 2001 Budget.

Mr Paul Okoh, MP, Asutifi North wanted to know what plans the ministry has to

link Kenyasi, the District capital of Asutifi District to Sunyani with a good tarred road.

Mr Adjei-Darko said the Government secured funds in 1999 from Kfw (Germany) to undertake feasibility, engineering and design studies to rehabilitate the entire stretch from Hwidiem to Kenyasi through Ntotoroso-Atronie to Sunyani.

The Minister said the urgency of a road network could be considered for its early tender, especially under the road sector development programme.

The Speaker again reminded members that it was unparliamentary and prohibited

to leave their mobile phones on while in the house.

GRi…/

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