Express highway is for long-term; fix existing Accra-Kumasi road to reduce accidents – Kwadwo Poku

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on the government to urgently prioritise the completion of ongoing works on the Accra-Kumasi Highway following a tragic multi-vehicle collision at the Birimso bridge that has left at least 15 people feared dead. In a press statement issued on Tuesday, August 4, the Caucus expressed profound sorrow over the accident, which occurred on the Kumasi-Accra Highway, and extended condolences to the bereaved families while wishing the injured a speedy recovery. “On behalf of the Minority Caucus, we extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families.

We also sympathise with those who sustained injuries and wish them a speedy and full recovery,” the statement read. The Ranking Member on the Roads and Transport Committee, Hon. Kennedy Nyarko Osei, who signed the statement, described the incident as yet another painful reminder of the urgent need to address the longstanding safety challenges on the Accra-Kumasi Highway.

“This unfortunate incident is yet another painful reminder of the urgent need to address the longstanding safety challenges on the Accra-Kumasi Highway. Far too many lives have been lost on this highway, and the nation cannot continue to accept these recurring tragedies as inevitable,” the statement said. The Minority Caucus noted that the government has committed US$1.7 billion for the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway Project, with these funds set aside in an escrow account at the Bank of Ghana.

However, the Caucus argued that approximately US$300 million would be sufficient to complete the existing bypasses and ongoing works on the existing highway. While acknowledging that the long-term vision of constructing an expressway is commendable, the Minority insisted that the immediate priority should be to complete the existing highway that can save lives now. “We note that Government has committed US$1.7 billion for the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway Project, with these funds set aside in an escrow account at the Bank of Ghana.

However, approximately US$300 million would be sufficient to complete the existing bypasses and ongoing works on the existing Accra-Kumasi Highway,” the statement indicated. The Caucus made a strong national appeal to the government to expedite all outstanding works on the critical corridor, treating them as a matter of national urgency while preparations for the expressway continu… Energy Analyst Kwadwo Poku has criticised the government’s handling of the Accra-Kumasi highway project, arguing that the proposed expressway should not be presented as the immediate solution to the rising number of accidents on the route.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Tuesday, August 4, Mr Poku said while the country needs a modern expressway, the government must prioritise rehabilitating the existing road, which continues to serve thousands of motorists daily. According to him, an expressway expected to take between six and eight years to complete cannot address the urgent safety concerns currently confronting users of the highway. “On this Accra-Kumasi, it’s very sad the way the NDC has left it.