WORK BEGINS ON FEEDER ROADS IN WR (PAGE 20)

Story: Kwame Asiedu Marfo, Enchi

CONSTRUCTION works on a total of 33.3 kilometres of feeders in cocoa-growing areas in three districts in the Western Region have started.
The project is to facilitate the carting of cocoa to the Takoradi Port, as well as the movement of people and the evacuation of foodstuffs.
The GH¢5,228,753.51 project, being funded by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), is the first phase of a programme to tar most of the deplorable feeders in the cocoa-growing areas in the region.
The roads include the 3.8 kilometre Enchi-Jensue feeder in the Aowin-Suaman District and the 9.5 kilometre Asankrangwa-Moseaso feeder in the Wassa Amenfi West District.
The rest are the eight-kilometre Teleku Bokazo-Aiyinase feeder phase two, the six-kilometre Teleku Bokazo-Aiyinase road phase three and the six-kilometre Asasetre-Adubrim road, all in the newly created Ellembelle District.
The roads, which are at different stages of construction, are to be completed by the end of this year.
The second phase of the programme will cover a total distance of 123.5, which will include 18 kilometres of feeders in the Juaboso District, 63 kilometres of feeders in the Bia District, 8.5 kilometres of roads in the Sefwi Wiawso District, 10 kilometres of feeders in the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai District, nine kilometres of feeders in the Jomoro District and 14.9 kilometres of feeders in the Mpohor Wassa East District.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwasi Blay, has inspected all the feeders under construction in the region to acquaint himself with the progress of work.
He said the government was keenly interested in the programme towards the improvement of roads in cocoa-growing areas in the country.
He, therefore, urged the contractors to work hard to complete the roads on schedule.
Mr Blay told the contractors not to use the rainy season as an excuse to unnecessarily delay the project, warning them that the government would not hesitate to terminate any contract of a contractor who would delay the project, adding, “We want good work”.
The deputy regional minister was not happy with supervisory work of some of the Department of Feeder Roads engineers, saying “we want the project to be completed on time”.
The Managing Director of Trustsam Company, the contractor working on the Enchi-Jensue feeder, Mr Osei Ampem, said the road would be completed in December, 2008 but feared that the project would be delayed when the rains set in.
He said the bridge over River Jensue would be reconstructed because it had become very weak.