Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has given Rango Construction one week to mobilise and resume work on a bridge along the Bolgatanga-Bawku-Pulmakom Road, warning that the government will terminate the contract if the contractor abandons the site again.
Mr Agbodza issued the ultimatum during a monitoring tour of the road project, following growing public frustration over delays and the deteriorating condition of the road.
Residents along the stretch have recently staged protests over the lack of progress, citing severe dust pollution, numerous potholes and difficulties faced by commuters.
They have also accused the contractor of returning to work only when there are indications that government officials, particularly the Roads Minister, are expected to visit the project site.
The Minister expressed disappointment with the contractor’s performance, insisting that there was no justification for abandoning the project, especially after President John Dramani Mahama had made it a priority.
Addressing the contractor during the inspection, Mr Agbodza said the government would no longer tolerate a situation where work resumed only when officials visited the site.
“Rango, I would say we are not happy. Because when we came here with the President, you were seen on site doing some work. You have absolutely no reason to pull back at any time,” he said.
He added that the contractor should not need constant pressure from the Ministry to fulfil its obligations.
“It shouldn’t take the Minister to tell you to stay on site and work because, behind the scenes, we’ve worked out the strategy to complete this work,” he said.
Contractor given one-week ultimatum
Mr Agbodza said he was particularly disappointed that construction had slowed despite an earlier unannounced visit during which residents had indicated that the contractor was making progress.
He expressed confidence in Rango Construction’s ability to complete the project but insisted that the company must demonstrate its commitment through consistent work.
“I have no doubt that you have the capability of completing this project,” he said.
The Minister disclosed that the contractor had undertaken to complete a temporary section of the road within one and a half weeks to allow traffic to be diverted.
However, he questioned why work had not commenced on the bridge itself, arguing that construction of the bridge and the temporary section could proceed simultaneously.
He consequently directed the contractor to mobilise within one week, adding that the government expected to see active construction within two weeks.
He warned that any further abandonment of the project would result in the engagement of another contractor.
“When I leave here, and you and your team leave the site, don’t come back. Because you’ll come back to see another contractor here,” he warned.
Mr Agbodza said the project had received high-level government attention and was being funded under the Big Push infrastructure programme.
He dismissed suggestions that financial constraints or engineering design challenges were responsible for the delays.
“It’s not because of money; it’s not because of lack of engineering design that this project is delayed,” he said.
He also expressed support for residents who had been demanding the completion of the road, noting that the project had been outstanding since 2015.
“And I agree 100% with the communities pushing that this be done. Because it’s far too long since 2015,” he added.
Minister appeals to motorists
Mr Agbodza also appealed to motorists to exercise caution while using the road, stressing that road safety was a shared responsibility between the government and road users.
He warned against excessive speeding, particularly when driving through communities and residential areas.
“I always ask people if I don’t know any driver who drives through his own hometown at 120km because you might kill your cousin. But when we are in somebody else’s town, we think that it’s normal,” he said.
He cautioned that even careful motorists could become victims of crashes caused by other drivers who disregard speed limits.
“You might be a victim not necessarily because you are overspeeding, but somebody overspeeding might crash into you,” he warned.
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