<<Print>>

Work on the construction of five footbridges on the Adentan Barrier- Atomic Junction road has stalled for four years because of delay in the release of funds for the project. The project which commenced in July 2009 was expected to have been completed in early 2011. The footbridges are located near the Redco Flats, SDA junction, Firestone, Ritz junction and Adentan Barrier. The reconstruction of the 5.6 km road from Madina-Pantang, including the footbridges, is being funded by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Saudi Fund for Development and the government of Ghana at the cost of GH�38.6 million. Ghana Highway Authority speaks According to the Director of Bridges at the Ghana Highway Authority, Mr Michael Okine, while the foreign entities had disbursed their budget for the project, the government was yet to fully meet its commitment towards the project. He said the project was handed over to the GHA in November 2014 after the consultant, Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners), had terminated the contract because the contractors, China International Water and Co-operation (CIWC), could not be paid by the government. �If funds are not released from the government, the project cannot be completed,� he emphasised. The GHA, he said, was still expecting funds from the government to complete the project to facilitate free and safe movement of pedestrians on the road. Mr Okine advised pedestrians to cross the road at the safest portions till the bridges were completed. Pedestrians worried Pedestrians and commuters who use the Atomic Junction-Pantang highway scale the concrete walls which divide the lanes (median) to cross the road. A resident of Adentan, Mr Isaac Annan, said it was dangerous for pedestrians to cross the road with cars speeding past. Apart from the difficulties associated with crossing the road, many others have lost their lives as a result of accidents. According to the Assistant Superintendant of Police at the Adentan Police Station, ASP Koo Yarah, 411 car accidents occurred from January to December last year, which claimed the lives of 94 pedestrians and commuters on the highway.