ACCRA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Over half-a-billion-dollar loan from China Development Bank (CDB) to Ghana has been earmarked for some strategic roads in the West African country, Ghanaian Minister for Roads and Highways Joe Gidisu said here Tuesday.

In all, 526.74 million dollars out of the CDB loan, according to the minister, shall be spent on three road networks as part of the government's efforts to accelerate road infrastructural development that would open up the country's economy.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, Gidisu said 112.74 million dollars had been earmarked for four different road networks in the oil and gas enclave in south-western Ghana, while 234 million dollars are for the beach road linking the capital with the port city of Tema, 38 km east of Accra. In addition, 180 million dollars have been allotted for the bitumen surfacing of a 400 km gravel road and the graveling of a 300 km earth road.

"This is to improve access roads under the Eastern Corridor Multimodal Transportation Project," said the minister.

Ghana said it had inspected 388 road projects this year but needed some more financing to complete most of them.

The government introduced a road toll to raise funds for road maintenance, which had been experiencing some leakage with personnel suspected to be siphoning resources into their private pockets.