“I Built 3 Interchanges With $289M; Mahama Built One With $260M” – Akufo-Addo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has once again taken a swipe at former President John Dramani Mahama over the construction of some interchanges in the country.
According to the President, his government is building three interchanges with an amount of $289 million, while the erstwhile Mahama administration built only one interchange with almost the same amount.
President Akufo-Addo made the comparison when he commissioned the four-tier Pokuase Interchange on Friday, July 9, 2021.
“It is important to put on record that the original contract design [for the Pokuase interchange] was for a three-tier interchange, however through efficient management by my government the interchange was “Indeed, $289 million has been used by the Akufo-Addo government to construct three interchanges (at Pokuase, Obetsebi Lamptey, and Tamale) as opposed to $260 million used by the Mahama government to construct only the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange. These are further examples of the fact that we in the NPP are good protectors of the public purse,” he argued.modified to a four-tier interchange within the same contract sum.”
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, President Akufo-Addo used the opportunity to appeal to drivers to adhere to all road safety measures to ensure the safe use of the facility.
“I appeal to the users of this facility, especially drivers, to adhere to the various road safety measures put in place for the safe use of the facility. The modernization of Ghana is steadily gathering momentum, and I entreat all Ghanaians to join hands in building the Ghana we want.”
The Pokuase Interchange is a four-tier interchange situated at Pokuase Junction, connecting motorists to Awoshie, Kwabenya, Amasaman and Achimota.
The project is being undertaken by Messrs China Zhongmei Engineering Company Limited.
The sod-cutting ceremony for work to start was done in July 2018, with the project initially expected to be completed in October 2020, but that was changed to March 2021.
The government, in May 2021, promised that the project would be completed in the first week of July 2021.
BY: Akyemkwa Nana Kofi Asare