Rt. Hon Speaker, thank you most sincerely for the opportunity to make a statement in this august house today. On Wednesday, 13th November 2019, I presented the 2020 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana (2020 Budget Statement) on behalf of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana.
Following my presentation to this august, the Hon. Volta Regional Minister and the Hon. Minister for Energy drew my attention to an omission of Volta Region from the list of critical roads listed in Table 21 of the Budget Statement.
My checks confirmed the inadvertent omission of Volta Region. All the Regional Ministers were requested to submit a list of critical roads which required immediate attention. At the instance of the Volta Regional Minister, three (3) road projects in the Volta Region were prioritized in the list of critical road projects for 2020. As it turned out on page 160 of the Budget document, the Volta Region was inadvertently left out. In the event, I am here to amend Table 21 to include the critical roads in the Volta Region as originally agreed on. For the avoidance of doubt, the critical roads for the Volta Region are as follows:
i) Asikuma – Have (45km);
ii) Have – Hohoe – Jasikan (83km); and
iii) Ho – Dzodze – Denu (99km).
This will not increase the proposed 2020 Appropriation because they are already included in the Budget estimates for 2020.
Mr. Speaker, may I use this opportunity to inform this august House of some of the other important road projects in the Volta Region programmed for 2020 as indicated in paragraphs 867, 868 and 869 of the 2020 Budget Statement:
i) The Dualisation of Ho Main Roads;
ii) The Construction of the Ho bypass;
iii) Replacement and expansion works on the Lower Volta Bridge at Sogakpoe; and
iv) Construction of bridge over the Volta River at Volivo; and
v) Dufor Adidome – Asikuma Junction Road.
Additionally, the Ministry of Roads and Highways has already prioritized the following road projects in their approved work plan for 2020 and captured them in the Budget Statement:
i) Asutuare - Aveyime Road;
ii) Upgrading of Klefe Town Roads in Ho Municipality;
iii) Upgrading of Akatsi Town Roads;
iv) Upgrading of Ketu South Area Roads;
v) Upgrading of Selected Roads in Kpando Municipality; and
vi) Upgrading of Ketu North Area Roads.
God Bless.
Ken Ofori-Atta
Minister for Finance