The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority is reconstructing the truck park at the Paga border to bring relief to truck drivers and state agencies working at the border.
Hitherto, the existing truck park was in a very deplorable state especially during the rainy seasons with instances recorded when trucks overturned due to the poor nature of the existing ground.
GPHA thus sought to provide a long- lasting solution to this problem and offer a suitable truck park for the use of its transit market.
The 30,165 square meter project which is over 85% complete is expected to have facilities such as fire hydrants, light mast base and cable ducts for the future installation of light masts, sanitary facilities including washrooms, an ablution area and prayer shed, for the convenience and use of the truck drivers and other visitors to the truck park.
There will also be the installation of razor wire rolls on the truck park fence wall for enhanced security and drainage improvement at the entrance to the truck park.
Speaking to Eye on Port, the representative of GPHA in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, David Songotu decried the deplorable nature of the truck park, adding that a lot of accidents happen from the truck park to the Paga town which makes the whole place blocked.
“The truck park was full of dust and during the dry season, you may not be able to stand here for a minute. Trucks often fall and during the rainy season it is even worse,” he recounted.
He stated that the idea of constructing a truck park started when a delegation from the Port Authority visited the area to witness the poor state in which the truck park was.
The Engineer for the project who is with Possible Agencies Limited, contractors of the project, Ronny Ablakwa said the project will be completed in November, 2020.
He said the pavement has been done to last for several years due to the heavy loads the trucks carry.
“This park is design to contain almost 200 trucks. So, in all, we are going to demarcate for the parking of the truck to ease traffic. There are places for the car to turn and places where the truck are permanently parked.”
The Principal Revenue Officer and Second in Command at the Paga Border for the Customs division of GRA, Agbeko Akrobeto was enthused about the project and described it as one of the largest parking sites for the trucks from Ghana to Burkina Faso.