PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO INSPECTS PROGRESS OF BECHEMA-ADJOAFUA ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Date: 07th September 2021

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inspected the progress of work on the Benchema Junction to Adjoafua Road and commended the contractor for the diligent work so far done to fix and upgrade the road.

The 38-kilometre road, which is wholly funded by Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) under its Cocoa Roads programme is considered critical because it connects 14 major cocoa-growing communities in the Western North Region.

The inspection of the road was part of the president's itinerary for a 2-day tour of the Western and Western North Regions.

COCOBOD's Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations Dr. Emmanuel Opoku, who took part in the inspection exercise, said together, the cocoa communities along the road contribute an annual average of 100,000 metric tonnes of cocoa to the country.

It was, therefore, important to address the transportation challenges faced in bringing agro-inputs to cocoa farmers in those communities and in evacuating cocoa beans to Take Over Centres. Even ahead of its completion, the road, he added, was already enhancing socio-economic activities in the communities, easing people’s access to health care facilities, and other important social services in other parts of the region.

“We at COCOBOD see this road as a crucial one because large volumes of cocoa are transported on this road yearly. We are happy it has taken shape. Before the construction, plying this road did not come with the ease we are enjoying now and so, encourage the contractor to continue work and complete it on schedule,” he stated.

Explaining the progress of work on the road, the Project Engineer of Messrs Amadi Construction, David Metz, said the project was 50 percent complete.

He lauded the level of cooperation with COCOBOD, the Government and inhabitants of the area and gave an assurance that the project would be completed on schedule. “So far, we are making progress as we promised. Although some challenges are being faced, we believe that we will finish this project by June 2022.”

A resident of Saayerano, who only identified herself as Afririfa, was happy that the road had been fixed, especially, a portion that always gathered stagnant water anytime it rained.

According to her, living around Saayerano is now dignifying. “I am happy that the contractor has fixed this road, especially, this place which used to gather a lot of water. Before the construction of the road, we had to use alternate footpaths through cocoa farms whenever it rains due to the stagnant water on many parts of the road. We even have to carry corpses and women in labour through the farm amidst falling and our clothes getting soiled with mud but now we move freely on the road at all times. Life is good here at Saayerano and we are thankful to COCOBOD for helping us,” she expressed.