The Agona Nkwanta to Tarkwa Road corridor in the Western Region will soon witness a major sectional rehabilitation works on the deteriorated stretch at a cost to the contractor in what government has described as a rare and commendable gesture of corporate responsibility.
The road has experienced premature structural failure partly due to excessive axle loading from heavy-duty mining and haulage vehicles operating along the corridor.
The Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Alhassan Suhuyini, praised the move, noting that it reflects a strong commitment to national development and long-term partnership.
“It is not common practice for a contractor to undertake the rehabilitation of a failed road at their own cost, purely out of commitment to national interest and long-term partnership,” he said.
“We will share timelines and traffic management approach with the public. But let me be honest, if axle load violations continue, even a newly rehabilitated road will fail again,” he stressed.
Mr Alhassan Suhuyini was speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement forum on axle load control and road preservation on the Agona Junction to Tarkwa road corridor organized by the Ghana Highway Authority on February 13.
He emphasized that axle load limits are not arbitrary.
“They are engineering-based safeguards designed to ensure that our roads achieve their intended design life. When these limits are exceeded, pavements deteriorate rapidly, maintenance cost escalate, and road safety is compromised,” he said.
The Deputy Roads Minister cautioned truck owners and influential individuals against interfering with axle load enforcement, describing such actions as a threat to the rule of law and national infrastructure protection.
“Such conduct is unacceptable and must stop. Any attempt to intimidate, coerce, or influence them to overlook infractions undermines the rule of law, weaken road safety, and accelerate the destruction of our national infrastructure,” he reiterated.
