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Finance Minister reveals roads in various states of development in mid-year budget review

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Finance Minister reveals roads in various states of development in mid-year budget review

Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister, reported substantial progress in improving mobility, accessibility, and safety along important trunk highways through numerous infrastructure projects.

The minister mentioned some of the projects at various phases of completion during the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review, which was presented in Parliament on July 31.

Examine them:

  1. The 31.2km Assin Fosu-Assin Praso portion of the National Trunk Road N8 (Phase 2) was completed and commissioned in June 2023.
  2. The Accra-Tema Beach Road (Lot 1 and Lot 2) is 79 per cent and 89 per cent complete, respectively.
  3. Construction of a 3-tier interchange at Nungua Barrier is ongoing.
  4. Development works on the Kumasi Lake Road and Drainage Extension project are 98 per cent complete.
  5. Selected Roads in Sekondi and Takoradi Phase 1 are 21 per cent complete.
  6. The Tema-Aflao road is 30 per cent complete.
  7. The Nsawam-Ofankor road is 26 per cent complete.
  8. The reconstruction of the Bechem-Techimantia-Akomadan road is 64 per cent complete.
  9. Reconstruction of Agona Nkwanta-Tarkwa road is 34 per cent complete.
  10. Phase 2 of the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle Interchange and other ancillary works are 86 per cent complete as of June 2023.
  11. Construction of a 4-tier interchange at Suame in the Ashanti Region has commenced.
  12. Construction of 50 prefabricated bridges in all sixteen regions is 86 per cent complete as of the end of June.
  13. Design, fabrication, and delivery of 87 No. steel panel bridges are ongoing, with 45 bridges delivered.
  14. A new bridge under construction at Twifo Praso to separate vehicular traffic from the railway line is 93 per cent complete.

He also stated that the government intends to launch a community road construction programme in order to boost production and expedite the transportation of food crops.

“District Assemblies will be provided with complementary equipment to ensure that local roads are motorable throughout the year. Despite these infrastructure developments, the government remains committed to improving road infrastructure in line with the fiscal consolidation plan in the IMF-backed PCPEG and in partnership with the private sector” he said.

There are two projects in various phases of preparation for public-private partnerships (PPPs) for road infrastructure finance, construction, and management:

  1. Phase 1 of the Accra-Tema Motorway Extension Project (31.7km) involves the reconstruction of the Motorway. The Concession Agreement and draft Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreement have been finalized and will be presented to Parliament.
  2. The Development of Tema Arterial Roads will be structured on a PPP basis using the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) model. The appraisal of the project is ongoing.

He stated that these projects aim to strengthen Ghana’s transport networks, communications, and general infrastructure.

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OccupyJulorBiHouse: Organisers’ derogatory depiction of the presidency is reprehensible – Richard Ahiagbah

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According to Democracy Hub, the rally was held to stress their demands for lower living costs, an end to corruption, and improved governance, among other things. However, in the early hours of Thursday, September 21, police detained 49 protestors, accusing them of unlawful assembly and violating the Public Order Act. The detained individuals ignored court documents filed on the organisers, Democracy Hub, to prevent from carrying out the scheduled rally.

The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Communications Director, Richard Ahiagbah, has voiced his concern with the disrespectful captioning of the Jubilee House by leaders of the pressure organisation, Democracy Hub.

The organisers of the scuttled demonstration in Accra on Thursday, Democracy Hub, had dubbed the protest to occupy the precincts of the seat of government, Jubilee House, #OccupyJulorBiHouse, with ‘julorbi’ being a parody of the official name of the presidency in the Ga language, which loosely translates as ‘the child of a thief’.

Mr Ahiagbah, who backed citizens’ freedom to demonstrate, disagreed with the disparaging portrayal of the presidency.

“I don’t agree with the derogatory caption of the Presidency by the organizers of the demonstration, but impeding their right to peaceful assembly is an affront to democracy, plain and simple.”

The NPP Communications Director pointed out that there have been numerous peaceful demonstrations during President Akufo-Addo’s presidency, including the Arise Ghana demo and the Kume Preko demo, which he said did not record such events as happened on Thursday, and wondered why anyone would think the government was behind the disruption of Thursday’s demonstration.

“This is not the publicity we need on a day such as this…Allow!,” he said, in apparent condemnation of the police action.

He highlighted that the Ghana Police Service’s meddling and arrest of demonstrators who took part in the #OccupyJulorBiHouse movement is a violation of the people’s rights.

Mr Ahiagbah stressed in a post on Thursday, September 21, that “the people’s ability to engage in peaceful demonstrations is an inherent democratic right.”

Any action that prevents persons from enjoying this basic freedom, in his opinion, is just wrong.

According to Democracy Hub, the rally was held to stress their demands for lower living costs, an end to corruption, and improved governance, among other things.

However, in the early hours of Thursday, September 21, police detained 49 protestors, accusing them of unlawful assembly and violating the Public Order Act.

The detained individuals ignored court documents filed on the organisers, Democracy Hub, to prevent them from carrying out the scheduled rally.

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OccupyJulorBiHouse: Arresting protesters was unwarranted – Naana Opoku-Agyemang

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Several demonstrators were detained and escorted to the Regional Police Headquarters, including Fix The Country chairman Oliver Barker Vormawor. They were detained in the early hours of September 21 for violating a police order prohibiting the march.

Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s 2020 running mate, has responded to the arrest of #OccupyJulorBiHouse activists.

It is undemocratic and useless, she claims.

The former Education Minister stated on Twitter that the police should have engaged the demonstrators rather than arrest them.

As a result, she has supported demands for the demonstrators to be arrested immediately.

https://x.com/NJOAgyemang/status/1704832264251601273?s=20

Several demonstrators were detained and escorted to the Regional Police Headquarters, including Fix The Country chairman Oliver Barker Vormawor.

They were detained in the early hours of September 21 for violating a police order prohibiting the march.

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Military takeovers are not a solution to Africa’s economic issues – Asantehene

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Several African nations, including Niger and Gabon, have undergone coups in recent years. The most recent event happened in Gabon on August 30, when military soldiers took control and proclaimed the annulment of election results that had pronounced President Ali Bongo the winner. The announcement of the Electoral Commission generated suspicions of fraud by the opposition.

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has voiced grave worry over the growing number of coups on the African continent.

He links these military takeovers to nations’ difficult economic situations, which resulted in the deposition of democratically elected governments.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II spoke out strongly against military coups as a solution to Africa’s issues during the St. Andrews Africa Summit in Scotland.

He emphasised that, regardless of the circumstances, armed takeovers are not the solution.

“Let me make it categorically clear that regardless of the circumstances, I do not think that a military takeover offers the solution to the problems of our continent. There was a time when circumstances produced the notion that the gun was the solution, those times are over. We are in completely different circumstances now. The critical problems confronting Africans’ economy from North to South, East to West, the burden is the economy,” the Asantehene said.

Several African nations, including Niger and Gabon, have undergone coups in recent years.

The most recent event happened in Gabon on August 30, when military soldiers took control and proclaimed the annulment of election results that had pronounced President Ali Bongo the winner.

The announcement of the Electoral Commission generated suspicions of fraud by the opposition.

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