Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Ghanaian President John
Agyekum Kufuor co-inaugurated Monday a road between Ofankor and
Nsawan, a portion of the trunk road linking Ghana's capital Accra
and the west African country's second biggest city Kumasi.
"The road symbolizes the cooperation between China and Ghana and
constitutes a new link between the two countries that have forged
traditional friendship," said Wen, who arrived in Ghana Sunday for
a two-day official visit.
Kufuor praised the quality of the road and speed of the
construction, saying this project would make great contribution to
Ghana's economic development.
The road was 17.4 km long, with its start point at Ofankor, 20
km north of the capital city.
The Chinese government granted Ghana 180 million yuan (US$22.5
million) interest-free loan for the highway rehabilitation and
expansion project, undertaken by China Railway Wuju Group
Corporation.
The completed road is two-way with four lanes. Two lanes are
newly constructed while the other two are reconstructed with new
pavement of gravel base course and bituminous surface course.
"The completion of this road will make driving become safe and
fast," said Norbert B. Quarmor, director of public affairs of Ghana
Highway Authority, "There were a lot of potholes on this road.
There were only two lanes and no grass corridor."
Zeng Jian, a senior official of the Chinese company, described
the road as a "new friendship milestone" in the development of
Sino-Ghanaian relationship since the two countries established
diplomatic ties in 1960."
Before the construction of the new road, China helped Ghana
build several other public facilities, including the National
Theater, irrigation projects, a hospital, camps for soldiers and
policemen.
China has constructed nearly 900 projects in Africa as a whole
over the past 50 years, covering various fields including
agriculture, energy, infrastructure and water conservancy.
(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2006)