AKOCCA Calls On Gov't To Release Funds For Rehabilitation Works On Jubilee Bridge

Good morning ladies and gentlemen from the press, we thank you so much for making time to be with us at this short notice. The Akyem Oda Concerned Citizens Association (AKOCCA) is forever grateful to you for your constant and prompt response to our call anytime such need arises.

Ladies and gentlemen, it would be recalled that on 10th May this year we met you to talk about the deplorable state of the Jubilee Bridge on the main and only Akyem Oda road that links our Municipality to several other Metropolitans, Municipals and Districts, our region with other regions particularly the Greater Accra, Central and the Volta and our traditional area with other traditional areas. As we can recall, our encounter with you then was preceded by a petition we sent to the Municipal Assembly over the same matter on the 10th of May 2018.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is sad to note that though maintenance works were done on the bridge in 2014 when part of the bridge almost collapsed, this same part that was worked on is on the verge of fully collapsing which has forced the Ghana Highways to close that side of the bridge for vehicular use. This deteriorating state of the bridge almost caused loss of life on Saturday 16th of June when a tipper truck with registration number GT-7528-15 full of sand fell off the edge of the bridge, because the usable side of the bridge currently is too narrow.

After several reports of the hustle that our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandfathers and grandmothers, nephews and nieces who use the bridge go through daily came to our notice, we had a meeting with the Municipal Chief Executive over this pressing issue. It was through our encounter with the MCE that it came to light that, funds for the rehabilitation work has not been released from the Ghana Road Fund department of the Ministry of Roads and Highways.

The MCE Mr. KwabenaBempong then directed us to confer on his claims with the head of the Ghana Highway Authority in the Birim Central Municipality. She confirmed that all the paperwork has been done and forwarded to the Regional Office. She continues that to the best of her knowledge Region has also forwarded to their national office and approval has been given. All that is left is the release of funds to this effect from the Ghana Road Fund department of the Ministry of Roads and Highways.

We are therefore with this Press Conference calling on all authorities involved, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Ghana Road Fund, the Ministry of Finance, the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, the Birim Central Municipal Assembly to fast track the processes and release money to the contractor as early as possible for rehabilitation of the bridge. Failure to heed to this our humble appeal by the end of June, this year will compel us to use every legitimate means available to our disposal to force these bodies to release the fund.

We are also with this statement bringing to the notice of the authorities on the deplorable state of the main and only road that links Akyem Oda to Akroso, Asamankese and Accra and the Akyem Oda township roads. Meeting with the MCE, it was brought to our knowledge that some of these roads have been awarded to contractors for repair works to be done. That is the Akyem Oda township roads and the main road that links Akyem Oda to Akyem Eshiem. Work has started on these roads but going on the very slow pace. We are therefore appealing to the contractors to speed up the repair works on these roads because the state of Akyem Oda roads keeps worsening every single day. 

We thank you all for coming.

Long live Kotokuman

Long live Akyem Oda

Long live AKOCCA.


…………Signed…………….

TwumasiFrimpong Nana

(Assistant Secretary)

(0208334518)


Kofi AsareBrako (Abatay)

President

0244992255

Maxwell Kofi Nti (Anti)

Vice President

0244030325

 

Source: Peacefmonline.com