Construction works on Phase II of the Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange in Accra have come to a halt following delays in government payments owed to the contractor, the project’s Chief Resident Engineer, Ing. Owusu Sekeyere Antwi, has confirmed.

Ing. Owusu Sekeyere Antwi disclosed that despite being close to completion, progress on the project has stalled due to funding constraints. The government is yet to settle outstanding Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) amounting to over €20 million.

“We are left with a few things to be done, but the contractor has slowed down a little because of resources. In terms of outstanding IPCs, we have over 20 million euros to pay, but the Minister of Finance last year did some payments which were not paid out of the IPCs, so we need to balance all those things to be able to know how much we owe the contractor,” Ing. Antwi explained during a media engagement on Saturday, May 3.

The Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange is a key transportation corridor in Accra’s urban road network, designed to reduce traffic congestion in the Greater Accra Region. The suspension of works has sparked public concern, especially as many commuters continue to grapple with long travel times in the area.

Contractors on the project have since appealed to government authorities for swift financial intervention to prevent further disruptions.

In response to the delays, a parliamentary oversight committee has assured the public that it will work closely with the relevant ministries to address the financial bottlenecks and facilitate the project's completion.

Meanwhile, another major road infrastructure—the Ofankor-Nsawam Road Project—has also hit a snag. Chief Resident Engineer Ing. Kwabena Bempong has confirmed that the project is facing a delay of over a year.

Originally scheduled for completion in July 2024, the project’s timeline has now been extended, with expectations that it will be completed between mid-2025 and the end of that year.

Ing. Bempong attributed the setback to two main challenges: “delays in compensating affected residents and difficulties in relocating utility infrastructure along the construction path.”