Nana Addo ‘responsible’ for poor Eastern Corridor roads – Suhuyini

Member of Parliament for the Tamale North Constituency, Alhassan Suhuyini has said President Nana Addo is partly responsible for the deplorable nature of the Eastern corridor roads.

The MP on Eyewitness News blamed government for the uncompleted sections of the stretch, saying government’s decision to award contracts for construction of some parts of the road to COCOBOD, at a time when cocoa prices were going down, was problematic.

“The President in February, in his State of the Nation Address, told us why the Eastern Corridor was in the state that he found it but his address to the people there, suggested to me that he had forgotten that he is partly responsible for the state of that road. It is hard to believe that at a time when cocoa prices were going down, contracts were awarded for three sections of the road to be funded by COCOBOD. It comes as no surprise that COCOBOD has issued directives to suspend work on three sections. The instruction from COCOBOD came in May 2017 and in February 2018, the President was commending COCOBOD for issuing the directive to suspend the work on three sections of that road.” Seven different contractors have been awarded different contracts on different sections of the road over the years.

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako Atta has explained that currently, COCOBOD is funding the Have-Hohoe Lots 1&2 (51.3km), and Hohoe-Jasikan (32km) stretches of the road.

These sections have run into difficulties, as payments by COCOBOD have been suspended.

Residents of Hohoe and its environs in the Volta region on Friday said the deplorable nature of the Eastern Corridor roads is having adverse effects on the economy of the area and their lives.

‘Eastern corridor roads to be ready soon’

The 965-kilometer road goes through the Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta, Northern and Upper East Regions.

Mr. Amoako-Atta announced the government is working to ensure that the entire stretch of the Eastern Corridor road would be completed by the end of Nana Akufo-Addo’s first term.

Mr. Amoako-Atta was addressing Chiefs from South Dayi, North Dayi, Ho, Ho West, Kpando, Hohoe and Afadjato South, on day two of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s tour of the Volta Region when he gave the assurance.

He said there was going to be “a renewed effort that will be sustained to work on the Eastern Corridor.”

“It is the determination of His Excellency, the President, that by the end of the first term, the entire stretch of the Eastern Corridor will see the light of day, and I want to assure that it is receiving the attention of government.”