Acknowledging the country’s difficult economic situation, he indicated that his office would do everything possible to complete the project given its critical importance to the country.

Primarily, the construction of the 5.09-kilometre asphalt stretch was intended to create easy access to the Komenda Sugar Factory, one of the country’s strategic investments.

The road also leads to the Komenda College of Education, the Komenda township, markets, and some other vital locations.

Started in August, 2022, it was expected to be completed in August 2023, however, as of April 2025, it is only 55 percent done, according to the Central Regional Department of Feeder Roads.

Mr Agbodza was in the company of his deputy, Mr Alhassan Suhuyini, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale North; Mr Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, the Central Regional Minister; Mr Bless Kwame Darkey, the Regional Coordinating Director; Mr Samuel Atta Mills, MP for KEEA among other dignitaries.

The team called on Okatakyi Komeh VIII, Paramount Chief of the Komenda Traditional Area, before proceeding to tour a few road projects including the stalled Ataabaze-Elmina Road.

Mr Abdulai Braimah, the Central Regional Manager of the Department of Feeder Roads, who led the tour, explained that the project had delayed for various reasons including funding, excessive rainfall, the clayey nature of the land and difficulty in getting gravels.

He said out of the contract sum of about GHS40 million, the contractor, NMANAB Company Limited, had raised certificate for GHS20 million but was not sure of payments made.
He said the contractor left site briefly and returned in March.

Mr Braimah noted that the completion date for the project had been revised to June but observed that it was practically impossible and asked for three more months.

“If we maintain this momentum, we can finish in three months, he assured, adding “Because when you lay the prima seal, you need to give the kerosene about three months to evaporate before the final seal.”

Despite the slow pace of the work, Mr Agbodza expressed the hope that a good job would be done and fully completed, latest by the close of the year.

“The most important thing now is to make sure we work around the clock to raise some funds to pay part of the bill to the contractors,” he stated.

The Roads Minister directed the Departments of Urban and Feeder Roads to strengthen their supervisory roles to ensure that the contractors delivered quality and durable roads.

Okatakyi Komeh, expressed excitement about the Minister’s visit and his pledge to fix their road, stressing that the poor nature of the roads was affecting access to proper health care, education, farming activities, and the entire local economy.
He appealed to the roads minister to fix the roads with asphalt to make them durable.

Mr Eduamoah, the Regional Minister said the Roads Minister’s visit was reassuring and pledged to do their best to ensure the contractors returned to site.

Mr Atta Mills, MP, KEEA, also expressed excitement about the Minister’s assurances, stressing the importance of roads to his people.

“For us to transport fish to the villages, we need roads and for the villages to bring their farm produce to the big towns, we need roads.

“It is important that we fix our roads so that economic progress can go on,” he noted.