Akufo-Addo cuts sod for Tamale interchange, launches $2b Sinohydro deal

President Nana Akufo-Addo, has launched the $2 billion Ghana – SinoHydro Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA), and also cut the sod for the construction of the Tamale Interchange.

He said, Ghana through a barter arrangement, will have $2 billion worth of priority infrastructure projects delivered across the country, in exchange for the delivery of Ghanaian manufactured aluminium products to Sinohydro.

The barter arrangement has, thus, necessitated the establishment of the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation, a statutory public corporation, to oversee the development of the exploitation of the full value chain of the country’s bauxite resources.

This, the President explained, is to guarantee that Ghana has a vibrant aluminium industry, “and ensure that we live up to our end of the barter transaction. This innovative arrangement, the first of its kind on the continent, is not going to add to our country’s total debt stock.”

Each of the 16 regions is set to benefit from the Sinohydro arrangement, with hospital projects, extension of electricity to rural communities, and construction of court and residential buildings for the Judicial Service, landfill sites and industrial parks, set to be undertaken.

The projects under Phase 1, which have been approved by Parliament, are as follows:

  1. Lot 1 – Construction of Accra Inner City Roads. A total of 84 kilometres of roads located in Trobu, Anyaa-Sowutoum, Dome-Kwabenya, Adenta and Teshie will be constructed;
  2. Lot 2 – Construction of Kumasi and Mampong Inner City Roads. A total of 100 kilometres of inner-city roads will be constructed in Kumasi and Mampong. In Kumasi, the affected road networks are in Manhyia, Suame, Tafo Pankrono, Asokwa, Kwadaso, Oforikrom, Subin, Nhyiaeso and Bantama;
  3. Lot 3 – Construction of the Tamale Interchange;
  4. Lot 4 – Construction of the PTC Roundabout Interchange, in Sekondi-Takoradi, the first interchange in the western part of our country;
  5. Lot 5 – Dualisation of the Adenta-Dodowa Road. Fourteen kilometres of the Adenta-Dodowa Road will be dualised so as to reduce congestion, improve road safety, and reduce travel times on the corridor;
  6. Lot 6 – Construction of Sunyani Inner City and Berekum Township Roads. A total of 39 kilometres of roads will be constructed in Sunyani and Berekum Township. In Sunyani, 29 kilometres of inner-city roads will be constructed, whilst Berekum Township will see 10 kilometres of its roads constructed;
  7. Lot 7 – Construction of Prestea Township and Cape Coast Inner City Roads. A total of 32 kilometres of roads will be constructed in Cape Coast and Prestea. In Cape Coast, 22 kilometres of inner-city roads will be constructed, whilst Prestea Township will see 10 kilometres of roads constructed;
  8. Lot 8 – Upgrading of Selected Feeder Roads in Ashanti and Western Regions. Sixty-eight kilometres of feeder roads in Ashanti and Western North regions will be rehabilitated. The roads that will be rehabilitated are mainly in communities that have bauxite deposits;
  9. Lot 9 – Rehabilitation of Akim Oda-Ofoase Road. This lot involves the rehabilitation of the 38 kilometre Akim Oda-Ofoase road, which is part of the trunk road network, IR3, and passes through several rural communities that connect Akim Oda to Ofoase;
  10. Lot 10 – Construction of the Hohoe-Jasikan-Dodo Pepesu Road of the Eastern Corridor. This will involve the construction of the 66 kilometre section of the Eastern Corridor Road between Hohoe to Jasikan and Dodo Pepesu;

These projects, President Akufo-Addo explained, are to be implemented on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis, and will be completed within 30 calendar months after commencement.

“Government is also ensuring that, in accordance with the local content law, a minimum of 30% of works will be undertaken by Ghanaian contractors, and supervised by Ghanaian consultants.

“Thousands and thousands of jobs will be created for our youth, our country will be opened up for sustained growth and development, and, thereby, help put Ghana onto the path of progress and prosperity,” he added.

The President charged the Roads and Highways Ministry and its implementing agencies to ensure that adequate and proper supervision is given to all the works being undertaken, guarantee that the country gets value for money, and ensure strict adherence to completion dates.

Whilst urging contractors to be mindful of the environmental protection laws of the country, and institute measures to mitigate against the negative health impacts the projects may have on citizens, President Akufo-Addo stressed that “I will not countenance any delays in the execution and delivery of the various infrastructural projects. Thirty months is 30 months.”

Under Phase 2 of the Sinohydro deal, which would come on stream after approval by Parliament, an additional 1,300 kilometres of roads, 3 interchanges, and 69 steel bridges will be constructed, at an estimated $850 million.

Additional housing projects, rural electrification projects, industrial parks, hospitals, sanitation projects, and additional court and residential buildings for the Judicial Service, are components of phase 2.

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