The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, has announced that Cabinet has granted approval for the establishment of a unified roads management body. As reported by GraphicOnline, this new entity, named the Ghana National Roads Authority, will bring together the Ghana Highway Authority, the Departments of Urban Roads, and Feeder Roads.
Addressing participants at a stakeholders consultative forum held in Koforidua, located in the Eastern Region, the Roads Minister outlined that the primary role of the Authority will encompass road planning, development, maintenance, and overall management throughout the country.
He further elucidated that the consolidation of the Ghana Highway Authority, the Departments of Urban Roads, and Feeder Roads is designed to streamline operations, enhance coordination, and optimize investments within the nation’s road sector.
“The lack of coordination and separate mandates of the agencies had led to duplicated efforts, insufficient maintenance, inconsistent standards and project delays,” Amoako-Atta stressed.
However, he pointed out that the Attorney-General’s Office and the Roads Ministry have suggested drafting a bill, which would be sent to Cabinet and Parliament for review and approval.
“When this bill is approved the management of trunk roads, arterial roads, collector roads and district and inter-district roads would be placed under the jurisdiction of the National Roads Authority” he clarified.
The Minister of Roads added that numerous assemblies would be in charge of overseeing the internal road system inside districts and municipalities.
Seth Kwame Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister, praised the decision and asserted that it will improve the abilities of the various authorities in the road sector while fostering the necessary synergy and teamwork.
“For us as stakeholders and end users, in any reform, our primary expectation is to have an improved way of doing business which should reflect on the condition of the roads in our communities,” the Regional Minister said.
Representatives from the Local Government Services and the Civil Service, Ghana Highways Authority, Public Services Commission, and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport were present at the consultative forum.