Roads and Highways Minister Kwame Governs Agbodza has directed the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to establish bitumen testing facilities in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Northern Regions to strengthen quality assurance in road construction.
The facilities are expected to improve access to testing services and ensure that bitumen used for road projects meets the required quality standards.
The directive was given at a meeting with bitumen suppliers in Ghana to address concerns over inadequate supply of the product, which contractors recently identified during the Minister’s inspection of ongoing Big Push road projects as a major constraint affecting the pace of work.
The Minister called for greater collaboration among suppliers to ensure that the growing demand for bitumen is adequately met.
He also stressed the need for greater efficiency in the supply and distribution chain, and encouraged suppliers to explore Ghana’s local capacity to produce bitumen as a means of strengthening domestic supply.
The suppliers assured the Minister that contractors’ requests for bitumen would be met and pledged their commitment to supporting the timely execution of road projects across the country.
