Delay in payment to contractors working on the Volta Region portion of the Eastern Corridor road has affected progress of work on the project.
For instance, work, which started in December 2011 on the Asikuma-Agate lot, covering a distance of 45 kilometres, was scheduled to have been completed in 2013; it is currently 50 per cent complete.
The Agate-Logba Alakpeti road, which also covers a distance of 20 kilometres, is 58 per cent complete while a stretch of 31.3 kilometres from Logba–Alakpeti to Hohoe is only 38 per cent complete.
The Commercial Manager of the Chinese firm working on the project, G. S. International Developers, Mr Deng Jum, announced this when the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, paid a visit to the project site last Friday.
Assurance
Mr Jum gave an assurance that if the payment pattern was improved, the company would be able to complete and hand over the project by January next year.
The company is undertaking a project from Asikuma to Agate under GOG funding, 20 kilometres from Agate to Logba Alakpeti and a 31.3 kilometres road from Logba Alakpeti to Hohoe both under COCOBOD funding.
Mr Jum bemoaned the prevailing situation of delays in payment for work executed and explained that such practices affected the scheduled date for completion of the project.
Project
The Resident engineer of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) on the project, Mr Abu Mohammed, said currently, the contractor was engaged in earth and base works, asphalting and the construction of culverts.
He said all defects that had been identified in the process of construction had been rectified.
The lots were awarded to five contractors; Asikuma to Have (45km) and Have-Hohoe awarded to G.S. International Developers, Hohoe-Jasikan (27 km) to Messrs Rollider, Dodo-Pepesu to Nkwanta (45km) to Messrs Kanazoe Limited, Nkwanta-Sibi (45km) to Messrs China Jiangxi Limited and Sibi-Oti Damanko (12km) to First Sky Limited.
Action
For his part, Dr Letsa assured the contractors that their grievances would be channelled to the appropriate quarters for prompt action because the Eastern Corridor work was a flagship project in the region and the nation as a whole.
He added that the Volta Regional Coordinating Council would strengthen collaboration with the Ghana Highway Authority to address challenges facing road projects in the region.
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