The Ministry of Roads and Highways has indicated that ongoing legal battles are causing setbacks in the Ofankor-Nsawam road project, preventing construction from proceeding as expected.
Initially set to be completed by July 2024, completion of the project is now uncertain due to unresolved court disputes that are significantly slowing progress.
Speaking in an interview, the Public Relations Officer at the Ministry, Nasir Ahmad Yartey, elaborated on how these legal issues have impeded the contractor’s ability to advance work on essential parts of the project until the cases are resolved.
Mr. Yartey pointed out that many of these disputes arise from property owners contesting demolitions or seeking compensation, thereby dragging out the legal process and halting the project.
“The major challenge on that road [Ofankor-Nsawam] has to do with court issues. Somewhere last year, we had over 100 court cases that had to do with the project, and we have been able to clear about 20 of them, and as I speak to you, between Amasaman and Nsawam, there are about 80 of them, and these court cases do not allow the contractor the right of way to work.
“We cannot take the law into our own hands if we need to demolish a particular property and the owner is litigating it in court; there is little you can do,” he noted in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report on Citi News.
The $350 million Ofankor-Nsawam road project is vital for improving transportation on the Accra-Kumasi highway, which is among the busiest road networks in Ghana.
The expansion and improvements expected from this project aim to reduce traffic congestion, boost trade and commerce, and provide safer, more efficient travel for commuters.
Frustration is growing among residents and daily commuters who rely on this route, with many expressing concern over the increasing traffic issues and related economic and social challenges stemming from the delays.
There are numerous calls for the government to prioritise the resolution of the court disputes to enable construction to restart without further hindrance.
