A Deputy Communications Officer for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Ako Gunn, has said that he finds it difficult to believe that the Akufo-Addo government has really constructed 10,875 kilometres of roads as announced by the president.
Delivering the 2022 State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) in parliament, President Akufo-Addo touted that some 10,875 kilometres of new roads have been constructed within a space of five years.
Describing the feat as unprecedented he added that “let me mention that yesterday, it was my honour and great pleasure to have commissioned the Tamale Interchange, the first such interchange in the Northern sector of our country, which the people of Tamale celebrated. I considered it to be a most satisfying birthday present. We intend to continue with the building of roads round the country to accelerate the opening up of our country.”
But reacting to the president’s claim, Ako Gunn said on Angel FM’s Anopa Bofo Morning show that “it is strange that the president is claiming to have built more roads than any president in Ghana… I am doubtful and [how come] we are searching for roads and we can’t see them?”
The NDC communicator indicated that “per the president’s claim, he has constructed a road from Accra to London and probably making a u-turn back to Ghana which surpasses Google’s estimate of 7,400 Km from Accra to London. He said these are fresh roads and don’t include old roads with asphalt overlays…these are things that make us lose confidence in the SONA”, he concluded in Twi.
However, the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Abronye DC, stated that Ako Gunn’s argument is a non-starter.
Abronye added that the “Nana Addo did not say the construction of only new roads… Any road that has been damaged and has been redone is a new road.”
He clarified that, “any road that is damaged does not qualify as a road anymore and therefore any road that has been redone is a new road.”
Also a statement from the Roads Ministry has explained that “technically, any activity on the road amounts to “construction” hence, His Excellency the President’s statement that “so far, more roads have been built, improved and upgraded than at any other equivalent period under any government in the history of Ghana,”
