The Daily Graphic need for quality roads is the subject of discussion in both the Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times. We start with the Graphic which highlights the Minister of Roads and Highway Kwesi Amoako-Attah’s announcement of a comprehensive programme for 200 bridges and 25 interchanges in the coming days. Of particular interest to the paper is the review of the policy whereby the burden of road maintenance will rest on contractors for five years instead of the conventional one-year period. Assuring as this portends, the Graphic is of the belief that the authorities must go beyond a review of the policy on maintenance and ensure that the law is enforced. According to the paper, it is trite knowledge that some contractors allegedly pay percentages of their contract sums to consultants, politicians as well as other interest groups and end up undertaking shoddy work. The Graphic hopes that per the new policy, the issue of job for the boys or the award of contracts to cronies who might have financed a candidate, a political party or having connections with authorities will become a thing of the past.
The Ghanaian Times commends government for its intention to construct 20 interchanges across the country by 2024, explaining that the 20 are out of 25 programmed to deal with traffic congestion. According to the paper, this is important as traffic congestion, especially the gridlock, wastes man-hours, increases travel time and fuel cost, damages vehicle parts and brings discomfort and health hazard to road users. This to the Times, has huge consequences on socio-economic development. It is the hope of the paper that most rural communities, which form the food-basket would be considered in government’s plan to open up the country with roads, as most of these communities are cut off from the rest of the nation whenever there is a downpour.
