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afrol News, 17 April - Ghana is to receive a loan to strengthen its interregional road connections, bank sources stated today. The loan will finance a project upgrading the Trans West Africa highway linking Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. The African Development Bank (ADB) today announced it had approved a US$ 18.32 million loan to repair the road linking the port town Tema (close to the capital, Accra) and the town of Aflao on the border with Togo. The road is part of the Trans West Africa highway. - The objective of the project is to improve road transport and reduce travel time, vehicle operating and road user costs in order to enhance the flow of traffic and trade, ADB said in a statement today. The Bank emphasised the road "promotes regional integration and economic cooperation" between these regional partners. According to ADB, the project is to involve the rehabilitation of 41 kms of the main road on the Akatsi-Aflao section (48 kms) with a single carriageway of 7.3 m width, asphaltic concrete surfacing of 5 cm, 0.25 m road edge marking and 2.5 m surface dressed shoulders on each side. It also includes the construction of a 7 km by-passing starting at the Akatsi town entrance and ending at the Abor town entrance. The bank says the project will "contribute to poverty reduction and strengthen regional integration by providing integrated, viable and sustainable transport infrastructure and services. The upgrading of the road will help the populations increase their agricultural production and provide them with a better access to education and health facilities." Furthermore, the project is expected to facilitate easier access by farmers and traders to income generating markets and will help increased tourist traffic to attractive centres including the Volta River Estuary. The rehabilitation of the Akatsi-Aflao section whose total cost is estimated at US$ 27.03 million will be co-financed by the ADF, ECOWAS and the government of Ghana. The ADF loan will cover part of the foreign exchange costs of the project. Sources: Based on ABD and afrol archives
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