IMANI Africa President, Franklin Cudjoe, has criticised the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government over delays in completing major road projects, including the Ofankor–Nsawam and Cape Coast roads, describing the situation as “unconscionable.”
His comments come at a time when a scarcity of commercial vehicles has resulted in long queues, commuter frustration, and, in some cases, the exploitation of passengers by drivers.
Speaking in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, Mr Cudjoe blamed the Akufo-Addo administration for contributing to the current transport difficulties, arguing that the timely completion of major road projects would have helped ease the situation.
He attributed the transport challenges largely to the poor state of the road network, as well as prolonged delays in road rehabilitation and the construction of new roads.
According to him, the extended delays on critical routes such as the Cape Coast and Ofankor–Nsawam roads have caused significant discomfort for motorists and commuters alike.
“The road network is also a big problem, a huge problem. Look at how long it is taking us to construct the Ofankor-Nsawam road; it’s beyond comprehension. I have never understood how we do things here. The previous government, money was allocated money to fast-track the work, but in the wisdom of the government, they thought that let’s not use all the money to construct such a major road, but let’s do small roads. Give some to some people and just chop the money. I mean, it’s unconscionable. We don’t think,” he said.
Mr Cudjoe further accused the former government of mismanaging funds earmarked for the Ofankor–Nsawam project, insisting the road should have been completed long ago to reduce pressure on the corridor.
“They shared the money like toffees. There was a deliberate attempt to destroy our public sector infrastructure, and it’s all because of corruption. The things we do as elite is so unconscionable, we should have finished that road long ago.
“What kind of wicked people are these? Why do you do this to your country? The Ofankor-Nsawam road should have been done after former President Kufuor’s tenure. Look at the Cape-Coast road. It’s not fair, I think it’s deliberate and wickedness,” he said.
He urged the Mahama administration to prioritise road infrastructure as a way of addressing the country’s transportation challenges.
“The state should rather focus on fixing the roads, making roads motorable,” he suggested.
Meanwhile, Vice President Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has assured the public that the government is taking concrete steps to address the recent transport challenges confronting commuters across the country.
Poor planning, lack of deliberate policies fueling transport crisis – Titus Beyuo
