Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr Ludwig Annang Hesse, the President of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) has called on the Government to implement measures to reduce deaths on the roads.
He mentioned regular maintenance of road signs and markings on the highways and safety issues regarding commercial motorcycle ‘Okada’ operations.
Mr Hesse, a Civil Engineer who is the 56th President of the GhIE made the call when he delivered the 53rd Presidential Address of the Institution in Accra on the theme; “Do it well, do it Right: A focus on Roads in Ghana.”
He urged the Minister of Roads and Highways to initiate the review of the National Roads Authority (NRA) Act 2024 (Act 1118) and use it as an opportunity to implement a system that separates policy from asset management and the full devolution of the responsibility of the Department of Feeder Roads, and the Department of Urban Roads.
He recommended to the NRA to set up an integrated road inventory and condition database, and an integrated system for routine collection of road traffic data in the country.
“The NRA must modernise the axle load enforcement regime using weigh in motion bridges, automated with a central data collection and control system by exploring the use of the private public partnership arrangements,” he stated.
He said the Authority should introduce the use of compliance certificate from the ports and heavy industries for all loaded trucks that leave their premises.
Mr Hesse urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways, and the Ministry of Finance to take decisive steps to resolve the financial exposure of roads sub-sector by reducing the project portfolio to levels consistent with available resources.
“The Finance Ministry must assume responsibility for outstanding contractor payments and negotiate structured settlements; relieve the Road Maintenance Trust Fund (RMTF) of all non-maintenance obligations; while increasing levy on fuel to equivalent of US$0.10 per litre,” he stated.
Mr Ludwig Annang Hesse, President, Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE)He called on the Minister of Finance to prioritise the implementation of the Public Investment Management Regulations 2020 (LI 2411) and for that matter the Public Investment Plan.
He said in furtherance of urban transport goals, the Government must amend the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936) to make provision for the creation of Greater Metropolitan Authorities.
“This will pave way for investment in the development and operations of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the urban rail system as recommended in the 2016 transport masterplan for Accra,” he stated.
He said the decision to stop the feasibility and design studies for a BRT system in Kumasi must be reversed, while preparation was made for long-term land-use, and transport plans for the large urban conurbations.
Mr Hesse said in a bid to separate functional areas of policy, regulations, asset management and service delivery, the Ministry of Roads and Highways should refrain from interfering in the asset management responsibility of the NRA and the regulatory responsibility of the RMTF.
“The NRA must move away from the practice where the Fund makes direct payments to contractors. It is the responsibility of the asset manager,” he pointed out, adding, “The NRA must fully implement the recently developed Web-based Integrated Road Asset Management System (WIGRAMS) for its asset management and maintenance responsibilities.”
He said the Road Departments of the metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs) must be made to take up the responsibility for the road asset management fully, with funding and regulations from the RMTF and NRA.
He recommended that the President must issue a clear policy directive, in the spirit of the reset agenda, that at least 90 per cent of all procurement by ministries, department and agencies, and MMDAs use open competitive tendering processes.
He added, “The President must also direct the Public Procurement Authority, in collaboration with civil society, to develop a transparent set of guidelines to govern approvals for single-source and selective tendering.”
Dr Frederick Yaw Addo-Abedi, a Civil Engineer and the Chairman for the occasion lauded Mr Hesse for his thought-provoking subject for the presidential address, saying it was highly appropriate for Ghana’s socio-economic development.
“This is more so at the time when the public appeared not to be totally happy with current state of our roads. I hope our colleagues who are now at the helm of affairs in the public service would listen to the plight of the people,” he stated.
Dr Enyonam Kpekpena, the Executive Director of the GhIE in a welcoming address said the Presidential Address was mandatory for any president of the institution during his/her first term in office to deliver an address on a subject of his/her choice which was important or of paramount and critical to engineering practice of national development.
