Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Dome-Kwabenya-Kitase road project in the Akuapem South Constituency of the Eastern region will commence in August this year.
Government secured $23.8 million in September 2019 through a loan agreement with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development for the over $39 million road project.
The loan will cover about 64 per cent of the total cost of the project, while the remaining amount will be provided by the Government of Ghana.
The project was estimated to be three years and was expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
However, processes leading to its commencement were stalled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
THE CUSTODIAN has gathered that the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA) has now finished with the drawings and designs of the project and all these have been handed over to the Consultant of the Funding Agency, the Kuwaiti Fund as required.
This has paved the way for the preparation of tender documents and the consultant has indicated that the first draft was ready and would have been finalised by April ending.
The paper also learnt that the executives of the Comet Property Owners and Residents Association (CPORA) and some members of the Association had met with Dr Francis Acheampong, Board Chairman of GHA, who briefed them on the latest development regarding the Dome-Kitase road project.
The members of CPORA, THE CUSTODIAN gleaned, were informed that tendering and awarding process will take place throughout May and June; and likely stretch to July.
It is therefore expected that the selected contractor will start work in August if all the earlier activities happen as planned.
The Akufo-Addo administration signed the loan agreement with Kuwait Fund for the rehabilitation of Dome-Kitase road as part of efforts to improve the road network in the country.
The project, when completed will connect the Accra-Kumasi road (N6) to the Accra-Aburi-Koforidua highway (N4) and provide an alternative route to road users thereby reducing traffic congestion on the two national roads.
Financing terms
The financing terms for the loan facility are an interest rate of 1.5 per cent (including 0.5 per cent administration charges), maturity period of 28 years (including four years’ grace period) and two payments (equal principal payments) per annum.
Minister for Finance Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta who signed the agreement on behalf of Government of Ghana said the deal was a milestone in strengthening bilateral relations between Ghana and Kuwait.
He added that the road when completed will provide a vital linkage between Greater Accra and Eastern Region.
“It will also reduce travel time and congestion on the Accra-Aburi Road; vehicle operation costs and increase in accessibility, convenience as well as safety of commuters”, Mr Ofori-Atta added.
On his part, Deputy Director-General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Mr Nedhal Alolayan, who signed the agreement on behalf of the state of Kuwait, said support of the Kuwait Fund for the development of Ghana goes far back as 1977, when the fund participated in the financing of the Kpong Hydro-Electric Project with a loan equivalent to about GH¢167,000,000.
“We cherish our cooperation with Ghana and assure you of our continued support to serve our common objective of development and to strengthen the friendly relations between our two countries”, Mr Alolayan stated.
He added that both Cabinet and Parliament have given their approval for the project and therefore, there should be no fear of fund management activities.
Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, said his Ministry identified the 19.1km Dome-Kitase road, inclusive of the one kilometre Ashesi University internal roads as one of its key priority projects.
He also expressed gratitude to the state of Kuwait for the loan and other facilities granted them in the past that has enabled developmental projects such as; the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project (Phase I and II); Aboadze-Volta Transmission Line Project; Accra Plains Irrigation Project feasibility study; Maternity and Children’s Hospital feasibility study, which had all been completed and the expansion and development projects of 26 existing senior high schools.
Mr Amoako-Atta noted that the provision of this concessional financing was in line with the Government’s agenda for the provision of road infrastructure and development of critical road sections across the country to accelerate the socio-economic development.
