PREZ INAUGURATES MALLAM-YAMORANSA HIGHWAY (PAGE 55)

President Kufuor on Tuesday inaugurated the 116-kilometre Mallam-Yamoransa Highway at a ceremony at Kasoa.
The road, which forms part of the trans-ECOWAS highway network, connects Aflao in the Volta Region to Elubo on the Ghana–Cote d'Ivoire border.
It was financed jointly by the Ghana government, the World Bank and the Japanese government.
While the World Bank provided a credit facility of $18 million, the Japanese government gave a grant of $54.68 million, with the government providing GH¢8.9 million as its contribution towards the construction of the road.
The project was executed in three phases, with the first phase involving the construction of the 18- km asphalted three-lane, dual carriageway from Mallam Junction to Dunkonaa and a dual section between Dunkonaa and Kasoa Junction.
The second phase covered the construction of the 41-km stretch from Kasoa to Winneba Junction, while the third phase covered the 57 km from about two km from Ankamu to Yamoransa.
The completion of the project has reduced travel time and the high spate of accidents on the Accra-Cape Coast road.
Addressing a durbar of the chiefs and people of Mankessim before cutting the tape to inaugurate the road, President Kufuor said on assumption of office, the government made the development of road infrastructure one of its priorities.
Over the period, he said, it had been able to increase the road infrastructure from 38,000 kilometres in 2001 to 64,000km in 2008 and the condition of roads had also improved significantly.
The President was hopeful that the completion of the road would enhance the economic conditions of the people.
He, however, expressed concern over the situation whereby some individuals were constructing temporary and permanent structures within 60 metres of the prohibited zone along the road.
President Kufuor directed the Ghana Highway Authority to ensure the prosecution of drivers whose vehicles exceeded the permitted axle load on the road.
He thanked the chiefs and people of the area for their co-operation during his almost eight years in office.
The Minister of Transportation, Dr Richard Anane, said the project had been executed within the contract period of four years, with a defect liability period of one year.
He said the defect liability period had elapsed, hence the inauguration of the road.
The Programme Manager of the World Bank in Ghana, Ms Kathrine Bain, said there was a positive relationship between the welfare of people and improved road infrastructure.
The Japanese Ambassador in Ghana, Mr Keiichi Katami, said the completion of the project was a testimony of the enhanced relation and co-operation between Ghana and Japan.