The Ministry of Roads and Highways says its ongoing repair work on a bridge on the Tema motorway is meant to save lives, as the bridge was in a dilapidated state.
The Head of Public Relations of the Ministry, Nasir Ahmed Yartey, in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show said the inconvenience faced by commuters on the stretch due to the exercise is all to prevent any incident of loss of life or injury from the possible collapse of the bridge.
He explained that the ministry’s decision to repair the bridge was taken in earnest due to the terrible state of the bridge over the Lakplakpa river.
“[Prior to the project]The bridge vibrates when you pass on it. It was very dangerous. The motorway itself, we are hoping that, by August, we will start some work on it. We cannot afford to lose a single life. We need to go through this inconvenience in order to save lives,” he told Citi Breakfast Show host, Bernard Avle on Wednesday, June 15, 2022.
Motorists plying the Accra-bound side of the motorway have been lamenting about the worsening traffic congestion on the stretch as a result of the construction, which began on Monday, June 13, 2022.
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As a temporary measure, the ministry has directed contractors working on the Tema-Teshie link road to open the dual carriage section of the road to allow motorists to use that stretch as an alternative route.
Asked why the ministry is now giving the directive for the link road to be opened as an alternative route, Mr. Yartey said, “the Tema-Teshie link road is a separate project and the contractors have their own schedule so to tell them to halt for a day or two is something difficult but given the urgency of the situation, it became necessary to tell them to halt for a while.”
Meanwhile, the motoring public has also been advised to use alternative roads such as Fertilizer Road, Tsui Bleoo Road, Spintex Road 1, Teshie Link, Adogon Highway and Burma Camp Roads 1 & 2 and follow directional signs.
The bridge repair work on the Tema motorway is expected to be completed by Friday, June 17, 2022.
