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Mr. Kwesi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, during his engagement with journalists in Accra. Image: EDNA ADU-SERWAA
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako Atta, said that the problem of defective traffic lights in Accra will be solved since June of this year.
He added that the ministry would create a traffic management center to remotely coordinate all traffic lights.
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The center will also allow the Urban Roads Department to monitor traffic light failures, he said.
Mr. Amoako Atta gave this badurance when he took part in the series of meetings with the press organized by the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday.
"By June, we will no longer have such incidents of traffic light failure," he said.
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He added that the project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), would include the installation of traffic control systems at the regional level.
"This project generally aims to coordinate all traffic lights along major roads in the capital and to manage traffic remotely from a Traffic Management Center (TMC) to optimize flow on the Amasaman Corridor. other important corridors in Accra, "he said.
He added that the project should be completed by June 2019 and that the construction of the TMC at the headquarters of the Urban Roads Department was about 61% completed.
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Last October, the Daily Graphic reported that the problem of defective traffic lights in Accra had reached alarming proportions, with at least 100 traffic lights located at 28 main intersections broken down or broken down.
The publication said development has made drivers and pedestrians vulnerable to road accidents and rollovers.
Road network
In the past two years, said Amoako Atta, the government has mobilized funds for the establishment of critical infrastructure such as bridges, interchanges, roads and other projects aimed at guarantee the free movement of people, goods and services in the country and in neighboring countries. countries.
The minister said: "In January 2017, Ghana's total road network was 72,381 km, of which 23 percent was asphalted and 77 percent unpaved, with 39 percent of the network in good condition and 61 percent in poor condition. . state."
Paid Contractors
In January 2017, said Mr. Amoako Atta, the road sector's debt amounted to 1.56 billion GH ¢, while the total commitments and costs to carry out ongoing projects in the sector amounted respectively to 17.2 billion and 12 billion GH ¢.
To reduce commitments, he said, the ministry immediately took steps to engage the services of a team of experts to conduct a streamlining exercise.
Based on the team's recommendations, which included the termination of outstanding contracts and changes in the scope of some ongoing projects, the total commitment was reduced from $ 17.2 billion to $ 5.79 billion. 66.3% reduction, he said.
According to Mr. Amoako Atta, at the end of November 2018, the government's debt to entrepreneurs amounted to 3.94 billion GH ¢.
In the last two years, he said, 3,5 3.58 billion has been disbursed for the payment of contractors for the works executed, the activities of the sectoral agencies and the repayment of the loans contracted by the Road Fund.
The ministry also contributed 1.90 billion GH ¢ to entrepreneurs.
"Currently, the Ministry of Finance and the Road Fund make payments to entrepreneurs. The government has largely paid entrepreneurs as part of its commitment to promote the rapid development of road infrastructure throughout the country, "he said.
Disabled people
The minister, who praised the efforts of people with disabilities recruited to collect tolls at 36 toll booths in the country, said it was planned to use more of them.
Currently, he said, 93 people with disabilities were on toll booths across the country.
Road safety
On road safety, Mr. Amoako Atta said that the Ghana Highway Authority was implementing a number of road safety interventions on various road networks in the country.
To this end, he said, interventions on the dangerous sections of the N1 road between Awutu Breku and Winneba were underway, while traffic lights were being resettled on the Pantang-Aburi and Mallam- Kasoa.
He added that the slope protection work on the Ayi Mensah-Peduase road had been terminated and was being repackaged to another contractor.
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