Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President-Ghana, cut the sod on April 26, 2018 for work to begin on a 5.4-kilometre pilot concrete road for the Tor-Tema Steel Works-DVLA stretch (from the Tema Steel Works Junction through the offices of the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA) to the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR)) Junction in Tema, Ghana, Africa. In 1965, Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was the first to construct a connecting road—the Tema Motorway—to link the industrial city of Tema to Accra. The Tema port, the largest port in Ghana, has played a very important role in Ghana’s economy. Dr. Bawumia said the choice of piloting the concrete roads policy on the Steel Works road was based on its functional use by heavy industries along the Tema Steel works road, but the current nature of the road is very poor due to heavily loaded vehicular trucks, and a disincentive to the industries along the thoroughfare.
The Vice President said the choice of a concrete road could not have come at a better time, especially in Tema, as it was home to major industries in the country, so it was important to provide durable roads to link the industries to the port as well as other parts of the country. The road will have a 150-mm thick sub base and base material, ancillary’s traffic signs and signals, and reinforced concrete grade C35/20 in road slab of 280mm thick. He said, “We do believe that once the road is constructed and properly maintained, it should last 40 years. The advantages in using concrete as pavement type for the construction of roads included its durability, that will not require frequent maintenance during its 40 year lifespan.” According to Road Construction Engineers, it will be much cheaper in the long run, and environmentally friendly.
In an address, Dr. Bawumia recalled an advice he had earlier given to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to consider concrete roads as it would give a longer lifespan to the country’s roads. He commended the Ministry for the tremendous effort it had made to ensure the take-off of the pilot project. Dr. Bawumia also noted:
- Vehicles traveling over concrete roads consumed less fuel
- Concrete roads are not damaged by leaking vehicular oils
- Concrete roads are not damaged by extreme weather conditions like rain or heat
- Rigidity of concrete pavements reduce the rolling resistance of heavy vehicles which in effect reduced the carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles leading to less environmental pollution
The Vice President urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to sustain the policy direction of government to improve road infrastructure by using concrete as the preferred pavement type on heavy axle roads like those in the industrial areas of the country, as well as training young and upcoming Engineers and Contractors in the use of concrete as a pavement option. Furthermore, he said, the Ministry should research the use of local materials like Pozolana cement, aggregates and sand in road construction with the aim of reducing the cost of concrete roads and providing job opportunities for the country’s contractors and engineers.
Vice President Bawumia appealed to the public to resist overloading vehicles, washing vehicles on the roads, unauthorized cutting/trenching across the roads, driving on the shoulders of the road, and construction of unauthorized humps, as they could reduce the lifespan of the roads.
Mr. Kwasi Amoako-Attah, Minister of Roads and Highways, said the construction was as a result of the Vice President’s challenge to the Ministry to venture into concrete roads. Mr Amoako-Attah stated that the pilot concrete road, solely funded by government, had become necessary due to the lack of adequate funds to maintain the country’s roads which were designed and built as flexible pavements. He added that even though such roads had low construction cost, their life-cycle cost was high as they deteriorated with a short time high maintenance cost. Mr. Amoako-Attah charged the contractors to deliver a top notch job to serve as an example to their colleagues in the construction sector. The Government has initiated the Construction of the 5.4 km stretch of the TOR-Tema Steel Works-DVLA Road, and the road is expected to be completed in 18 months—by October 2019.
The Roads Minister announced that his outfit was embarking on the construction of other roads in the Greater Accra and Tema Metropolis, such as: Tema Community 11 and 12 roads, Tema Manhean roads, asphaltic overly of selected roads in Tema and Accra, construction of Pokuase Interchange, and the reconstruction of Tema Coastal Raods. Other projects are the construction of a motorway overpass to link Spintex and East Legon, upgrading of Spintex road 1 and construction of the Teshie Link.
For the Business Ghana online article titled “Vice President Bawumia cuts sod for concrete road”, please go to: http://businessghana.com/site/news/general/164012/Vice-President-Bawumia-cuts-sod-for-concrete-road
For the Government of Ghana article, “Work Begins on Tor-Tema Steel Works-DVLA Concrete Road”, please go to: http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/news/4602-work-begins-on-tor-tema-steel-works-dvla-concrete-road
*HOME PAGE PHOTO credit: Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President cuts sod …
For the All-Africa online article titled “Ghana: Work Begins On Tor-Tema Steel Works-Dvla Concrete Road”, please go to: http://allafrica.com/stories/201804300731.html
For the Graphic Online article titled, “Work to commence on concrete road project in Tema”, please go to: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/work-to-commence-on-concrete-road-project-in-tema.html