The contractor undertaking the reconstruction of the Adenta-Dodowa Road says the project has reached 63 percent completion and remains on course for delivery by March 2027 despite public concerns about the pace of work.
Project Manager of Oswald Investment Limited, Gabriel Foli, said the 36-month contract began in March 2024 and is progressing according to schedule. Speaking during media interactions, he expressed confidence that the contractor would meet the completion deadline.
His comments come amid growing public concern over the pace of construction on one of the busiest road corridors linking Accra to communities in the Greater Accra Region. Mr. Foli acknowledged the public interest in the project but said many of the challenges slowing sections of the work are technical issues that are not immediately visible to road users.
According to him, the Adenta-Dodowa Road project is far more complex than a standard road expansion because it involves constructing a dual carriageway complete with service roads.
He explained that the existing road was originally designed as a single carriageway with a maximum width of about 12 metres. The new design, however, requires approximately 50 metres of space to accommodate the expanded roadway and its accompanying service roads.
The expanded design, he noted, has become necessary because of rapid urbanisation and the sharp increase in traffic volumes along the corridor over the years. “The traffic demand on this road has increased tremendously and, as a result, there is a need for the road to be expanded,” he explained.
Property Acquisition Remains a Major Obstacle
Mr. Foli identified property acquisition as the most significant challenge affecting the pace of construction. He said securing the additional land needed for the wider road has had a substantial impact on homes, businesses and other structures located within the project corridor.
Unlike conventional dual carriageway projects that generally require up to 30 metres of right-of-way, he explained that the Adenta-Dodowa Road project requires a minimum width of about 50 metres.
That requirement has resulted in the demolition or relocation of numerous properties, making negotiations with affected owners both lengthy and difficult. “The impact of the new design on properties has been very tremendous,” he said.
According to Mr. Foli, it has taken more than 27 months to engage affected property owners and negotiate compensation arrangements that would allow them to relocate and make way for construction.
Compensation Negotiations Continue
Despite the progress made, Mr. Foli disclosed that negotiations with some affected property owners are still ongoing. He explained that disagreements over compensation remain one of the key issues delaying full access to certain sections of the project.
“As I am still talking to you now, we are still contending with people who are not willing,” he said. He noted that government compensation offers are not always accepted because some property owners believe the assessed value of their properties does not reflect their true worth.
“There are people that, by virtue of the fact that you offer them a certain amount as the value of their property, it does not simply mean they are going to agree. Depending on the person’s exposure, they will contest it.”
Project Manager of Oswald Investment Limited, Gabriel Foli
According to him, such disputes inevitably extend negotiations and affect construction schedules in portions of the project corridor where access remains restricted.
Contractor Maintains Confidence
Despite these challenges, Mr. Foli maintained that the contractor has continued to make steady progress and remains committed to delivering the project within the agreed contract period.
He stressed that while road users may perceive temporary slowdowns as delays, many of the issues arise from engineering requirements and legal processes that must be resolved before construction can proceed safely.
He urged the public to appreciate the complexity of the project, particularly the extensive land acquisition exercise required to transform the existing single carriageway into a modern dual carriageway with service roads.
With the project now 63 percent complete, the contractor says work will continue across all accessible sections while negotiations with remaining property owners are pursued. Mr. Foli expressed confidence that, barring unforeseen circumstances, the Adenta-Dodowa Road reconstruction will be completed and handed over in March 2027 as scheduled.
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