The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) is responsible for the administration, control, development, and maintenance of trunk roads and related facilities in Ghana, as per the Ghana Highway Authority Act, 1997 (Act 540). The Act outlines the functions of the GHA, including planning, developing, maintaining, protecting, and administering trunk roads.
The Accra-Kumasi expressway, being a trunk road connecting two major cities, falls under the purview of the GHA. However, correspondence and communications from the President, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister for Roads indicate that the project is being developed outside of the GHA's authority. This raises concerns about the legitimacy of the project's design and implementation.
The GHA has the power to classify and prescribe design standards for different classes of trunk roads, as stated in Act 540. Additionally, the Authority is required to maintain and update lists of roads designated as trunk roads. The design standards for the Accra-Kumasi expressway should have been laid down by the GHA, but there has been no mention of the Authority's involvement in this aspect of the project.
The Ghana Armed Forces was involved in cutting a 'bush path' from Ablekuma in Accra to Sewua in the Ashanti region, which is part of the expressway project. The question arises as to what drawings and designs the Ghana Armed Forces was working with, given that there is no evidence of consultation with the GHA. This lack of consultation and involvement of the GHA in the project's design and implementation is a cause for concern.
The Attorney-General of Ghana seems to be unaware of the laws governing the country, particularly with regards to the highways Act. The lack of involvement of the GHA in the Accra-Kumasi expressway project raises questions about the role of the Attorney-General's office in advising on the project's legitimacy.
The construction of the Accra-Kumasi expressway is a significant project that requires careful planning and implementation. The breach of the Ghana highways law in this project may have serious implications for the country's infrastructure development and the rule of law. It is essential that the relevant authorities take steps to address this issue and ensure that the project is carried out in accordance with the law.
The Daily Searchlight newspaper has highlighted this issue, and it is expected that the relevant authorities will take steps to investigate and address the breach of the Ghana highways law. The public will be watching closely to ensure that the Accra-Kumasi expressway project is carried out transparently and in accordance with the country's laws and regulations.
Key points
- The construction of the Accra-Kumasi expressway appears to be in breach of the Ghana Highway Authority Act, 1997 (Act 540).
- The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) has not been consulted on the design and implementation of the project, despite being responsible for trunk roads.
- The breach of the highways law may have serious implications for the country's infrastructure development and the rule of law.
