Work on Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange progressing steadily…

Drivers hail gov’t for project

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong

Work on the  Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange  Project  which is to curb congestion and reduce travel time for motorists and other users is about 65% completed  and scheduled to be handed over  on time , Chief Resident  Engineer  of the Project ,    Mr. Kweku Attakow Diafo, has told the Daily Express Newspaper.

According to him, the 65% completion means that the major works  have already been done  and the three-tier  project which is being jointly financed  by the Brazilian Government and the Government  of Ghana  would  not go beyond its 24-month construction period.

“Major works involving  big structures and foundations are virtually done.  What is left is not much. We have three  flyovers under project completed,” he added.

Under the project which is been undertaken by M/S Queiroz Galvao Constucao from Brazil, the interchanges would facilitate traffic flow and help control flooding in the area.

It would see the building  an   interchange which will link the Akasanoma Road to the Nsawam Road, around the Vodafone building. Another interchange will link the Nsawam Road to the Nkrumah Avenue, around the Ghana Commercial Bank building, while the third interchange will link Ring Road Central to Ring Road West.

The project would also see improvement on most roads leading to the busy business hub. It would again see the provision of sheds and drainage systems around the  flood area.  .

Mr. Diafo  noted that  contractors   are  currently  working  on the Ring Road which is about almost a kilometer (about 900 meters).

He noted that about 80% of the earth works on the Ring Road West have been  done with  work on the  pavement on that stretch on-going, adding that monies have been paid to all building owners affected by the project.

“We hope to finish the entire project as schedule. We have all the resources.  The only problem we have is how those affected people will relocate quickly for us to carry out the project”, he said, stressing  that apart from this , he is optimistic  that  nothing will affect  the progress of the project.  

“Except that unexpected happen. Maybe something like earthquake which may delay the work,  we expect  to finish the work in two years as already planned”.

Meanwhile , the Vice Chairman of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU) at  the Circle/ Kaneshie lorry  station,  Mr. Issah Mohammed  has  hailed  government  for  initiating the project which he said would  not only  transform the area but boost business.

 “We are praying that they will finish exactly the time they promised. We are here and we know how Circle is, so we believe that when the project is complete, Circle will be a nice place to be and both drivers and passengers will be ok,” said Mohammed.

He however   lamented that the project has  temporarily  affected their revenue generation as  there is competition limited space.

The initial €74.88 million project is being jointly financed with credit from the Brazilian Government and the Ghana Government and the construction is under M/S Queiroz Galvao Constucao from Brazil.