Encroachers take over proposed tunnel site of the Abidjan-Lagos corridor highway project
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Technical Experts Committee of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Project who are currently having their 19th meeting in Accra on the implementation of the Highway Project have expressed worry about the rate of development along designated communities that are to host the highway project following a field visit to two main communities which will be hosting the proposed 2.7km tunnel as part of the highway project.
The technical committee of experts from the corridor member countries of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo and Benin seized the opportunity of its 19th Meeting in Ghana to visit Katapor, a town near Pokuase where a proposed 2.7km tunnel is expected to commence and discovered that several new houses and shops are being developed against the directive that no developments are expected 100 meters on both sides of the highway.
Ghana’s Ministry of Roads and Highways had earlier sensitized communities, traditional leaders and MMDCEs against encroachment in communities that are going to host the corridor project since Ghana as a member country is responsible for addressing all matters of resettlement, compensation and protection of the Right of Way (RoW)
But unfortunately upon the arrival of the technical experts at the tunnel sites, several developments were seen springing up.
A road engineer of the Abidgan-Lagos Corridor Highway project and a member of the Project Implementation Unit at the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Peter Ofori-Asumadu advised developers against making risky ventures by developing on the corridor.
“If you know there is a project that is going to pass through where you intend to develop, why do you go ahead when in the end the compensation may not even be up to the stage you have gotten your project to.”
Ing. Mrs. Rita Ohene-Sarfo who is a Director of Policy planning and Budgeting at the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Director in Charge of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Project Implementation Unit for Ghana advised that it will be in the interest of developers to desist from building along the designated corridor sites.
“At the end of the day there will be compulsory acquisition of the Rights of Way so why develop and risk losing everything when government comes in to acquire the Rights of Way”
Mr. Chris Appiah the Director of Infrastructure at ECOWAS Commission said
“The Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Project is a priority project and urged everyone to cooperate to its successful implementation”.
The Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway project is expected to pass through five (5) regions in Ghana, Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, Volta and Western Regions of Ghana. So far over 200 communities in these regions have been identified to host the highway project.
In Accra the experts have proposed a 2.7km highway to pass through some parts of Pokuase and Dome-Kwabenya among other areas particularly in the Ga West and Ga North of the Greater Accra Region.
