Shoddy road works’ll be treated as criminal – Amoako-Atta

The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta has said the government will, henceforth, treat all shoddy road construction works as a crime.

“We will ensure that we give the good people of this nation quality road infrastructure so that we will have value for money. That is why I have said a number of times that shoddy work from any contractor under President Akufo-Addo’s government will not be tolerated.

“If shoddy works were tolerated last year, from today onwards, under his administration, it will be treated as an abomination, it will be treated as a crime,” Mr Amoako-Atta said at a press conference after inspecting the progress of work on the Ho-Sokode dual carriage road.

He added that work on the project will not be stalled again until it is completed.

Mr Amoako-Atta said President Akufo-Addo is passionate about fixing the country’s roads.

“The road sector is key to His Excellency the president and his Cabinet. It’s so because it serves as a [fulcrum] around which the development of this country revolves.’’

The minister noted that an initial payment of GHS15 million has been paid to the contractor for the work to start. The full payment will be made subsequently.

He cautioned the contractors to sit up and discharge their duties with a sense of urgency.

He also added that plans are far advanced and are underway to complete the Eastern Corridor road as promised by the president.

The minister also assured that all other road projects that have been abandoned, will resume as soon as possible.

The Ho-Sokode dual carriage is a 10.5 km road started under the John Mahama administration in August 2016 but came to a halt due to financial constraints. The project, which was supposed to be an 18-month project, was evaluated at GH¢99.1 million.