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PEDESTRAIN STEEL Arch Footbridges are to be constructed on the NI Highway at the Tetteh Quarshie, Odorkor and Mallam interchange to reduce the continuous road carnage and the vehicular congestions associated with them. Already, construction works at Odorkor have started with some demolishing of structures along the roads, of which some vendors have been affected in the process. Observations made by the Daily Heritage after a visit to the construction sites indicated that the contractors working there are going through hectic moments as a result of them having to compete with pedestrians for space. Speaking to the paper in an interview, the Construction Manager of the Asona Enterprise Limited, Benjamin Dadson, said the project is a government of Ghana project and will go a long way to improve the traffic situation and reduce the risks of pedestrians who use the facility. He said, �for instance the Odorkor footbridge will help commuters who use the road to the markets and other places reduce their sufferings as far as road accidents are concerned and also being cautious when crossing the roads.� Touching on the affected residents along the stretch, he said it was the responsibility of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to ensure that residents who have encroached on government property are vacated, thus, the demolishing exercise, saying, �some of the lands are for the government and it was time to make use of it.� Mr. Dadson said a traffic study by the Department of Urban Roads shows that when it comes to reducing traffic situations in the country, there are vantage points that they need to consider and to that effect they decided to construct the footbridges. �Looking at all the problems, the Urban Roads hunted for funds from the Government of Ghana and also supported by uniCredit Bank in Austria,� he stressed. Citing some of the challenges they face as far as construction is concerned, he noted that they have had challenges with services such as electricity cables, telephone lines and some of the advertising board which he believes hinders them when they are working because he believes some of the cables are seen underground. �We are the sub-constructors and ours is to vacate all those who will encroach on the construction site to prevent any casualties and also whatever activity that we are having here are fenced to prevent people entering the sites,� he indicated. Mr. Dadson, therefore, advised road users to observe the road signs, especially, areas where construction is underway adding that the project is expected to end in early next year.