Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Friday, commissioned the $50 million Assin-Fosu to Assin-Praso N8 highway in the Assin North District of the Central Region.

The 31.2 km road project funded with the grant from the Japanese government, was executed by Shimizu Dai Nippon Joint Ventures, a construction firm, under the supervision of the Ghana Highways Authority.

The project was completed six months before schedule.

It started on Monday, January 13, 2020, and was expected to be completed on Sunday, December 31, 2023.

The road would significantly facilitate the movement of goods, ensure easy access to markets and services, guarantee reductions in road accidents and road user costs, and improve travel time to enhance the social and economic lives of the people in the Assin area and beyond.

More than 18 kilometres of the road is through the Assin North Constituency and the project scope includes a 1.2-kilometre dual stretch within the Assin-Fosu township and new drainage systems.

Others are the construction of concrete pavements, and reconstruction of the railway underpass bridge with a reinforced box culvert among other ancillaries and dualization of a four-lane carriageway with a 1.2 km street lighting in Assin-Fosu.

The stretch formed part of the 176 km N8 starting from Yamoransa near Cape Coast through major towns such as Abura-Dunkwa, Assin-Fosu and Assin-Praso, which ends at Anwiankwanta in the Ashanti Region and connects the N1 to the northern part of Ghana.

The rehabilitation of the road being done in phases commenced with the first phase from Bekwai to Assin-Praso, which was completed in December 2013.

The N8 was originally constructed between 1990 and 1994 with funding from the government of Japan.

Commissioning the road, Vice-President Dr. Bawumia commended the Government of Japan for the gesture to better the lives of the people.

He was grateful to the contractor for working hard to complete the project on schedule despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that stalled construction works for months.

The Vice President said as part of measures to ensure safety on the road, the Government would construct a disability friendly footbridge in Assin-Fosu to ensure pedestrian safety with a strong maintenance culture.

The construction of the road is a great step in the development of road infrastructure in Ghana to reduce travel and freight from the Western, Central, Ashanti to the Northern Regions and neighbouring countries.

“It is so beautiful to see this road so beautifully done. I’m so impressed with the work done, so this road is not a “green book” road but “feeli-feeli,” Dr Bawumia stated.

The Vice-President promised subsequent completion of the remaining 67 km of road from Assin-Fosu to Yamoransa.

He mentioned some projects including the completion of a 70-meter span steel bridge at Kushea and the construction of a bridge over the river Pra at Twifo-Praso to separate vehicular traffic from rail over river Pra.

Others are the rehabilitation of 32 km Mankessim-Abura Dunkwa road, which is 80 percent complete, the upgrading of 15 km Assin-Asampanaye-Kushea that is 70 percent complete, and the upgrading of Akonfodi town road which is 50 percent complete.

He advised road users to adhere to basic road safety signs to reduce the occurrence of road accidents.

Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta, Roads Minister, commended the contractor for using modern technology, which made good use of the old road material and urged other road contractors to emulate.

“The technology used is environmentally friendly,” he said, and commended them for the timely completion of the project to ease commuting challenges.

Ms Hisanobu Mochizuki, the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, said Japan as a nation was aware of the value of creating a solid infrastructure base and the role it could play in boosting and stimulating economies.

That she said, had strengthened their resolve to help countries in Africa develop their infrastructure to transform their economies.

That reinforced the recent visit by the Japanese Prime Minister Kishida to Ghana and had a wonderful bilateral meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House.

She said the Japanese government attached great importance to the promotion of business and investment in Ghana, considered one of the leading economic centers in West Africa.

“Transportation infrastructure is crucial for promoting economic growth as well as business and investment in Ghana because without it, products and services will become less valuable.

“Enhancing transportation connectivity with good roads opens up underserved communities to economic opportunity and promotes inclusive economic growth,” she said.