A Global Executive member of OSHA UK, Thomas Bismarck Boakye has expressed doubt over the resilience of the 66-kilometer Agona Nkwanta- Tarkwa road that was constructed last year.
According to him, the road is fast deteriorating due to the excess weight exerted by heavy-duty trucks that ply that stretch.
This remark comes after the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Agbodza ordered for an investigation into the degradation of sections of the road. The road with a contract value of €95million was awarded for reconstruction to M/S Rango-Gabriel Couto Consortium in 2021.
In an interview with Connect FM, Thomas Boakye noted that the road’s designed capacity is 50 tons, yet trucks weighing 70 to 90 tons routinely use it. He added that the continued use of the road by heavy-duty trucks with excessive load could further degrade the road before December 2025.
“The designed capacity of the road is 50 tons, yet we have trucks with a net weight of 70 to 90 tons plying that stretch. The road is barely two years old and its already started deteriorating. It is because of the excessive axle load.
“I have been trumpeting this, but it appears Ghanaians prefer to believe it when it comes from politicians. Latest December the road will get worse if some maintenance work is not done. In essence we will have to re-asphalt roads every 5 years, but I doubt ours could last that long,” he intimated.
Thomas Boakye clarified that the road’s poor condition is not due to subpar construction. “The contractor did a good job,” he emphasized.
Boakye also highlighted alleged systemic corruption at weight bridges, where cargo trucks—particularly from neighboring countries like Togo—routinely flout axle load limits.
“Just take a look at these trucks that cart cargo to Togo. They dare not cross our border with such axle load into mainland. They often offload the cargo at the border. Look at the height of the truck too- some are beyond 5 meters.
“The Highways Authority are aware. So, if the Minister is particular about sanctioning this, we must begin checking the axles, and the load of cargo being transported on our highways. We also have to rid ourselves of corruption at the weight bridges too. It is very bad. We cannot perceive of the politician as the only corrupt individual, technocrats are too.”
He urged the Roads Minister to enforce stricter axle load regulations and root out corruption among technocrats.
