The Ghana Highway Authority has launched its 50th anniversary celebration under the theme, 'Development and Maintenance of Quality Highways: Retrospect and Prospects.

The ceremony, which took place at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra on Monday, saw in attendance the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso Boakye, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Dr. Abass M. Awolu, the Board Chairman of the Ghana Highways Authority, I.K. Mensah, and the Chief Executive of the Ghana Highway Authority, Collins B. Donkor and a host of other dignitaries.

Addressing the dignitaries and audience at the launch, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Highway Authority, Ing. Collins B. Donkor, stated that, the Authority is proud of its achievement in transforming a patchwork of Roads into a cohesive network spanning over 15,000 kilometres and growing.

Ing. Donkor attributed this feat to the dedication and expertise of the Authority's staff over the years.

“Looking forward, our focus must remain unwavering on innovation, safety, and sustainability. We must harness cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices to ensure our roads not only meet current needs but also preserve resources for future generations.

"This commitment necessitates robust investment in our human capital, providing continuous training, competitive conditions of service, and modern tools to empower our workforce,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer further called for a national dialogue on sustainable funding models to address the fiscal challenges of Road maintenance.

On her part, Chief of Staff, Hon. Frema Osei-Opare, who delivered a speech on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, recognized the contribution of the Ghana Highway Authority to boosting Ghana’s economy, improving Road safety, and enhancing the overall quality of life for citizens.

She stated: “Through strategic partnerships, the Ghana Highway Authority has succeeded in creating a formidable foundation that has supported our country’s growth. Not only have our highways facilitated economic growth, but they have also enabled the free flow of goods and services across the country.

"They have connected rural and urban areas, ensuring that every citizen, regardless of location, has access to opportunities. These achievements are a testament to the hard work and dedication of those who have served in the Ghana Highway Authority over the past five decades.”

Madam Osei-Opare added that the Ghana Highway Authority has been pivotal to the realization of the government’s unwavering commitment to enhancing the infrastructure and connectivity of our country in a manner that befits its status on the global stage.

“This government, through the Ghana Highway Authority, has completed an impressive 12,000 km of Roads and incorporated six additional interchanges as compared to the 4,636 km of Roads of our predecessors.

"The government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is also adding 10 new interchanges, which are at various stages of completion,” said Madam Osei-Opare.

Earlier, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, congratulated the GHA for achieving its 50-year milestone. He added that this significant milestone has only been possible with the ingenuity, dedication, and hard work of all past and present employees of the Ghana Highway Authority.

He also acknowledged that the Authority’s efforts have been pivotal in connecting communities, promoting economic growth, and enhancing the quality of life for millions of Ghanaians.

The minister further reiterated the government's commitment to invest in Road development and maintenance. He outlined the strategy adopted by the Ministry to prioritize Road maintenance in critical areas, including pothole patching on major trunk Roads and in urban areas, as well as spot improvements and reshaping of feeder Roads.

“To support these efforts, there is now a new policy to earmark about 60% of our annual maintenance budget to support this initiative.

Additionally, the Ministry is setting up a maintenance call centre with a maintenance App as part of an enhanced Road maintenance programme designed to address public concerns about Road defects swiftly and efficiently through a participatory approach,” the Minister announced.

The Minister also revealed that Parliament has passed the National Roads Authority Bill, 2024, awaiting presidential assent, which will establish the National Roads Authority.

According to him, this new entity will streamline the management of Ghana’s Roads by bringing together the three key Road agencies, namely the Ghana Highway Authority, the Department of Urban Roads, and the Department of Feeder Roads, under the Ministry of Roads and Highways.

As part of the celebration, the Ghana Highway Authority unveiled its anniversary logo, which will symbolize its celebration from July to October 2024.

Some outlined programmes for the four-month celebration of the Golden Jubilee include media engagements, blood donation exercises, a technical symposium, road tours, clean-up exercises on selected trunk Roads, a gala dinner dance, and a thanksgiving service, amongst others.