[ 2016-12-06 ]

Falling rocks project on Aburi Hills behind schedule
With less than two months to the end of the
contract to construct a wire mesh to control the
falling rocks along the Ayi Mensah-Peduase
Lodge-Aburi road, the contractor has now submitted
the design to officially commence work.
Since the commencement of work on January 15,
2016, the contractor, CST Ltd, has done only 26
per cent of work as of November 30, 2016, even
though it is expected to complete the work by
January 2017.

Work done so far included the mobilisation of
materials, plant and equipment, key personnel, as
well as the clearing of the project site.

At the site

A visit to the site revealed that a little of the
real protection of the fallen rocks had actually
been done, even though that was done without
recourse to any design.

The significant thing prominent on top of the
rocks are the massive structures springing up,
which some experts say could have repercussions
for the safety of the road.

Nature of work

The four-kilometre project titled, “slope
repairs and protection of the Ayi Mensah-Peduase
Lodge-Aburi Road”, is a design and build
contract, where the contractor is expected to
design, based on the topographic and geotechnical
studies, and to adopt an engineering measure to
protect the slopes against any immediate failure.

The contractor is in a partnership with Artusa Ltd
of Turkey, a company reputed for its experience in
the protection of falling rocks.

Valued at about GH¢12 million, the project
includes putting a steel mesh over the slope to be
held by anchor bolts, to be followed by a second
mesh, a high tensile steel mesh.

“With that they believe that it can hold falling
rocks and try and protect the slope safely,” the
Resident Engineer, Mr Senyo Koku Matrevi, told the
Daily Graphic.

Submission of designs

Asked what design the contractor had followed in
starting the work before submitting its designs,
he explained that the contractor was using an
earlier proposal which was rejected, stressing
that, “We told them in clear terms that the work
had not been approved, so they did that at their
own risk.”

He, however, said “fortunately, the calculations
they showed us today shows that, that is the same
type of mesh that will be used,” explaining that
the addition was the inclusion of a check fence
which the contractor had to add to what it had
already done.

Mr Matrevi said the contractor submitted the
designs last Wednesday, which was accepted and was
hopeful that they would fast track the work,
adding, “according to the experts when the mesh
is ready, putting it on is not a difficult
task.”



Portions of the project towards the Ayi Mensah end
of the Accra Aburi road that has been completed

Extension & variation

As to whether the contractor would require an
extension of time, he said the contractor would
submit a revised programme, “and we will
evaluate it and then advise the ministry
accordingly.”

Referring to cost variation, Mr Matrevi said since
the project was ‘design and build,’ ordinarily
there was not supposed to be any change, adding
that if there would be any change, it would be
referred to the sector ministry.

He said the slow progress of work was an issue of
serious concern not only to the supervising
agency, but the ministry, explaining that aside
from the normal site meeting, “we have met mor
than five times to discuss this issue.”

Users of the road

Mr Matrevi apologised to the motoring and
travelling public of any inconveniences the
project might cause and assured that even if there
would be an extension, it would not be too much,
“But it is all about the safety of the
travelling public.”

He acknowledged the inconvenience the project was
causing to the travelling public, but conceded
that it was mostly on Saturdays because of the
number of keep fit clubs that met there to
exercise.

Source - Graphiconline

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