Berekum hasn’t seen much development in terms of roads for a long while. This has resulted in some, asserting, Berekum has lost its glory, as the golden city. There has been several pressure groups and organizations including individuals of Berekum mounting pressure on the various leadership of Berekum to resolve the problem of bad roads in the municipality.
The MCE and MP of Berekum East have come under severe criticisms for failing to lobby for the right road projects for the municipality. But they have insisted they’ve been doing all that is humanly possible to get the resources to fix the roads, which appears to be the most pertinent issue in Berekum at the moment.
In June 2018, during a visit to Brekum by the Vice President, Dr Bawumia promised to help get a lasting solution after Nananom added their voice to the cry of the people. The same plea was emphasized when Nananom met the regional minister of the Bono region in the last quarter of 2019.
Berekum had been earmarked to benefit from the Sinohydro project of 10 KM, but it was criticized by many that it wouldn’t be enough to solve the problem of roads in Berekum, however, that’s yet to see the light of day.
Luckily, In the last quarter of 2019, an advert was placed in the dailies calling for tender for the rehabilitation of Berekum inner-city roads in two different phases (Phase 1: 7.80 KM and Phase 2: 6.24KM). The contracts have finally been awarded to China Shanxi Sijan Group Company LTD in a letter dated 15th of January, 2019 from the Urban Roads Department and copying the MCE of Berekum Municipal Assembly to undertake the two phases of 14.04 KM of roads.
The contractors are required to provide Performance Securities in the form of Performance Bond (30% of contract sum ) and Performance Guarantee (10% of contract sum) by 12th of February 2020, before work commences.
In an interview with Dr Kwabena Twum Nuama, the MP of Berekum East, he stated that he has worked tirelessly to help facilitate the acceleration of the tender process which normally might have taken six months, but with his influence was managed to cut down to 2 months, from November 29, 2019, to January 15 2020.
The fourteen (14) kilometres road contract is scheduled to cover the following areas in Berekum East; Mpatasie road, Kyribaa Road, Low price Road Kyiriba Road, Berlin Area to Senase, Sofo Kyere, Nana Gyaasehene Street, Yiadom Boakye Market Road, Mama's Inn Street, Diasempa market road, Tankase to Golden city Park Road, Koraso Station Link to Mpatasie road, Twiease road, Mmobaza road, Water Works road, Continental Hotel link street, Freeman Methodist road, Biadan to Senase Road, Akab road, among others.
The MP explained that the 14KM road is exclusive of the Sinohydro project which will bring another 10 KM and a Secondary City Project for the Thursday Market which will also add another 2 KM of inner-city roads making a total of about 26KM of inner-city roads. He pointed out that he has had discussions with J.A Adom Constructions Limited to extend the Berekum-Seikwa road to the Zongo one-way.
He hinted that works will first commence on Mpatasie, Kyiribaa and Sofokyere roads simultaneously, hopefully in February 2020. The two phases are scheduled to be completed in 18 months.
