Contractor sets new date for Ofankor-Nsawam road completion

The Ofankor-Nsawam Dual Carriage Road project is facing further delays. It was initially set to finish by July 20, 2024. The revised deadline of May 21, 2025, will also be missed.

The delay is now expected to extend by an additional 15 months. This is due to unresolved compensation issues for affected individuals. Relocation of utility lines from agencies like the Electricity Company of Ghana is also a factor.

A recent progress report shows the project is 74 percent complete. However, it cannot meet the May 2025 target.

Chief Resident Engineer Kwabena Bempong reported on compensation matters. Out of 328 structures along the route, only 76 owners qualified for compensation. So far, only 40 have received their payments.

Bempong noted that legal actions from some affected individuals stalled progress. Since November last year, financial challenges have hindered work due to unpaid compensation.

These updates were shared during a visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport. The committee was led by Chairman Isaac Adjei Mensah and Ranking Member Kennedy Osei Nyarko.

They also inspected other projects like the Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange and Winneba-Kasoa Road Expansion.

At the €87-million Obetsebi Interchange, progress has slowed down significantly. Government delays in settling interim payment certificates (IPCs) are causing this issue. Resident Engineer Owusu Sekyere Antwi stated that phase two is over 96 percent complete but lacks about €20 million in IPC payments.

In January, Antwi projected completion by March 2025 with final touches pending.

At the Kasoa-Winneba site, work is progressing steadily according to ABP Consult's Resident Engineer. Lot A includes interchanges at Sapato and Buduburam and is currently 47 percent complete. This project aims for completion by March 2027.

Mr. Adjei Mensah urged quick resolution of financial issues at Obetsebi Interchange. He called for contractors to work with the Ministry of Works and Housing on drainage infrastructure.

He emphasized cooperation among stakeholders to resolve compensation issues affecting multiple road projects.

Ranking Member Kennedy Osei Nyarko expressed concern over ongoing delays with Ofankor-Nsawam dualisation. He highlighted that this project spans 33.4 kilometers and was meant to take just two years but has already been delayed nearly a year.

Nyarko warned that continued delays could nearly double costs for taxpayers and government alike. He called for urgent action on encroachments and compensation challenges to get back on track.