MORE ROADS TO BE REHABILITATED IN TAMALE (PAGE 29)

THE road sector in the Tamale metropolis is to undergo another face-lift next year.
Currently, the Metropolitan Roads Unit of the Department of Urban Roads under the Ministry of Transportation has earmarked a total of 12 roads to be rehabilitated at the cost of GH¢5.7 million in the metropolis.
With a total road network of 15.06 kilometres, the roads would, among other things, improve on the traffic situation in the fast growing metropolis as well as commercial activities that have seen tremendous improvement in recent times.
Already, the metropolis has been acknowledged nationwide as having some of the best roads in the country. The well laid out bicycle and pedestrian lanes coupled with the excellent road network partly contribute to making the city the cleanest and most beautiful in the country.
According to the Maintenance Engineer of the unit, Mr Abraham Danquah, work on the projects included the upgrading of the Tishegu area, Old Karaga road, Vitting-Target road, Choggu Low Cost main road, Village water road-second ring road.
The others are the Naluro-NOBISCO-Kumbungu roads, Gumani-Kanvilli road, Relax Lodge-Ward K road, Radach Memorial-Industrial area, Nyohini link, Fuo main road and the Moshi-Zongo area roads.
Mr Danquah further explained that the completion of the second ring road that stretched from the Taysec junction, through to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) junction to the Agricultural traffic light through the Choggu roundabout to the New stadium roundabout, Nyohini and industrial area roundabout back to the Taysec junction would soon be completed.
He pointed out that from last year to date, his outfit had spent GH¢4 million to rehabilitate a total of 12.1 kilometres stretch of roads, including the construction of culverts and routine maintenance works on some of the roads in the metropolis.
He said the Sakasaka road, Iranian, Radach Memorial, new stadium road, Seventh-Day Adventist road had been completed while the Yapei- Builpela, Russian Bungalow-Kukuo roads were nearing completion.
“During the period we also procured a number of road signs while pedestrian guard roads were constructed to avoid pedestrians crossing unauthorised roads; most of our traffic lights are also functioning properly, ” he further stated.
The engineer also expressed concern about negative practices by some motorists and residents that destroyed the roads.
He said for instance that the washing of vehicles on the roads by some residents and washing bay attendants was not the best as such practices weakened the roads.
“When water seeps onto the roads it will weaken the strength of the pavements and thereby deteriorate the roads faster; repairing of vehicles and motorbikes on our bituminous surfaces destroys the roads as oil seeps onto the roads and dissolves the bitumen thereby damaging the roads, ”Mr Danquah observed.
He reminded residents that the government was using the tax payers' money, in this case their money, to construct the roads for them at a very high cost so they must take good care of the roads.
“Motorists must also maintain their vehicles properly and respect road traffic regulations since it will ultimately enhance the lifespan of the roads” the engineer stressed.
He said the unit had received petitions from a good number of suburbs for the erection of speed rumps because of the frequent accidents and loss of lives in those areas.
He said the unit was seriously considering such petitions and would respond appropriately.
Investigations conducted by the Daily Graphic, however, indicated that work on the 2.5 kilometre stretch of access roads to the Tamale Polytechnic had incurred the displeasure of students of the polytechnic, who took to the streets last week to protest against what they described as slow pace of construction of the road.
The GH¢890,000 project started in February 2007 and was expected to be completed within 19 months.
The Metropolitan Road Unit authorities, however, explained that the contractor, Mola Construction Company, would soon move to the site to continue the work as all the necessary materials had been procured for the completion of the job.