Ghanaians working with the Chinese Company in charge of the Pokuase Interchange construction project staged a demonstration on Thursday, 22 October 2020 over low daily wages.
According to the workers, each of them receives GHS20.20 pesewas daily.
This, the workers described as too low.
They, therefore, embarked on the demonstration to impress upon the leadership of the company to increase their daily wages.
They have also declared a strike until their Chinese managers accede to their demands.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday, 2 December 2019, expressed satisfaction with the progress of work taking place on the project.
With the project commencing in April 2018, and the interchange originally proposed as a 3-tier single-point urban interchange, the contractor, after undertaking a value-engineering assessment, proposed to construct a 4-tier stack interchange, which was approved by the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
Thus far, road works, including drainage and pavement works are far advanced, with most of the local roads identified for construction being concluded.
Additionally, some extra routes, which became necessary after a review of the works are currently far advanced and will be completed before the end of 2019, with over 10 kilometres of local community roads being completed within the catchment area of the interchange.
The contractor, Zhongmei Engineering Group Ltd., indicated that 4 kilometres of asphalted dual-carriageway have been completed for the Awoshie section of the project, with landscaping and street lighting works underway as well as the mounting of road signs and pedestrian facilities.
Also, a kilometre of asphalted single-carriageway has been completed for the Kwabenya section of the project, with pedestrian facilities, and retaining wall constructions being undertaken.
The supervising engineer on site told President Akufo-Addo that drainage works, retaining walls, and earthworks are being constructed on the Accra-Kumasi links to the interchange, in addition to the 2.8 kilometres of outfall storm drains constructed as part of the project to date.
Touching on the interchange itself, the engineer revealed that 99% of pile foundation works has been completed. He said 54% of all pile caps completed; 28% of piers completed; 20% of bridge abutment completed; and 5% of bridge deck under construction.
He also noted that GRIDCo’s 330 kv transmission line has been relocated, and 98% of ECG’s network, which was impacted by the project, has also been relocated. Also, about 400 metres of GWCL 300mm water mains have been relocated.