PWD VETERAN : “A Well Constructed Road Must Last More Than 30 Years” - Former Public Works Technician Asiamah Tenkorang

94-year-old former Public Works technician Lawrence Frederick Asiamah Tenkorang says Ghana’s roads are suffering because technical expertise and proper supervision have been pushed aside

At 94, Lawrence Frederick Asiamah Tenkorang may have retired from the Public Works Department (PWD) decades ago, but roads remain very much on his mind.

In fact, when asked about Ghana’s road construction today, the veteran technician does not hesitate.

He has seen the industry from the inside—from finding gravel for road projects to testing materials and checking contractors’ work and believes the country has lost something important along the way: technical discipline.

Speaking to Kafui Dey, Mr Tenkorang recalled his years with PWD, where technical officers were responsible for ensuring that road projects met the required standards.

One of his assignments took him from the laboratory to the field, where he was sent to monitor contractors working on a 60-mile road project.

“They said I should go there and check the contractors.”

For him, checking contractors was not a ceremonial exercise.

The job was to ensure that work was being done properly and that contractors delivered what they had been paid to deliver.

But Mr Tenkorang says the system he knew has changed dramatically.

“If you don’t do well, they sack you and bring another person straight. But here now, it’s not like that.”

His concerns go beyond individual contractors.

He argues that road construction requires people who understand the technical demands of the job, rather than simply those who have secured contracts.

According to him, properly constructed asphalt roads should last for decades.

“If it’s well constructed, it must last 30 years or more.”

He says problems arise when contractors cut corners, fail to follow proper construction procedures or do not receive adequate supervision.

“They are not qualified and they force themselves to get a contract. That’s why Ghana is suffering.”

Mr Tenkorang also recalled the older road-building methods he worked with, explaining that some roads required more than simply laying one layer of material and walking away.

He believes the failure to properly maintain and strengthen roads contributes to their rapid deterioration.

His experience has also given him a deep understanding of the materials that go into road construction.

At one point in his career, he was involved in identifying suitable sources of gravel for road projects.

He described travelling along proposed routes, observing the ground and looking for signs that suitable gravel deposits might be available.

The work required practical knowledge—something he believes is increasingly being overlooked.

But perhaps the strongest indictment from the veteran technician is his criticism of how contracts are handled.

He recalled a time when technical expertise carried significant weight in public works.

“When the British were there, PWD was doing all the technical works in the country.”

For Mr Tenkorang, restoring that technical culture is essential if Ghana is to get value for money from its road projects.

He believes PWD should once again have a stronger role in the country’s infrastructure development, with engineers, technicians and testers providing the technical backbone.

“PWD is a respectable organisation. You have to manage it well.”

His frustration is not simply nostalgia for an earlier era.

He remains closely interested in road developments and says he still follows what is happening on Ghana’s roads.

When Kafui Dey suggested that he appeared to be up to date with road developments despite his age, Mr Tenkorang laughed before giving a revealing answer:

“It is in my head.”

And then he explained why.

“It is in my head because it’s my headache.”

For a man who spent much of his working life measuring, testing and inspecting roads, the condition of Ghana’s roads remains personal.

His message is simple: good roads do not happen by accident. They require qualified people, proper supervision and respect for technical standards.