For years, the Tumu-Sakai-Walembelle Road has remained in a deplorable state, causing immense hardship for the communities that rely on it.
Farming is the primary occupation in these areas, and residents have struggled to transport their produce to market centers due to the poor condition of the road.
The contract to repair this crucial road was awarded to Fuzak Co. Ltd. by the previous NDC government in 2015. However, since the current administration took office, the contractor has not been seen on site, leaving the road in disrepair.
Despite this, there is a glimmer of hope with the recent launch of the District Road Improvement Program by the government. Residents are optimistic that this initiative will finally bring the much-needed repairs to their road.
The District Road Improvement Programme is a government initiative aimed at enhancing Ghana’s road network by decentralising road infrastructure development. This program seeks to address the challenges faced by metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs) across the country.
As part of the initiative, 2,240 units of road equipment, including motor graders, backhoes, rollers, wheel loaders, bulldozers, water tankers, concrete mixers, tipper trucks, low beds, and other essential machinery, will be distributed to all MMDAs.
This equipment will enable local assemblies to carry out essential maintenance tasks such as grading, graveling, minor road improvements, and construction of drainage systems, ultimately improving access to social services.
Kantongboku Gbene Elijah, the assembly member of Sakai electoral area, has expressed skepticism about the impact of the District Road Improvement Program on his community. While he acknowledges the commendable nature of the initiative, he remains uncertain whether the Sakai community will benefit.
Elijah’s doubts stem from past experiences where new programs failed to deliver the promised benefits to Sakai.
“It’s an initiative that is very good, but whether our town will benefit is uncertain. It feels like we are not part of Ghana. Whenever new programs are initiated, we don’t believe in them because, based on past experiences, we never receive the promised benefits,” said Elijah.
Nansia Mumuni Iddrisu highlighted the severe impact of the deplorable condition of the road on transportation and the local economy. The bad state of the road has made it nearly impossible for trucks to access the routes which force residents to rely on motorbikes for transportation.
This has significantly hindered the movement of farm products to neighboring Burkina Faso and market centers.
“Trucks cannot even access some of the roads unless it’s a motorbike. We are sharing a border with Burkina Faso, but transporting our farm products like maize, groundnut, and soybeans is a terrible thing. We use motor king instead of vehicles,” stated Iddrisu.
Iddrisu urged the Sissala East Assembly to appropriately utilize the machinery provided by the government under the District Road Improvement Program.
He pleaded with the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) to ensure that the equipment allocated to the assembly is used for road construction and not for personal gain.
“We need an urgent construction of the road. We want to stand on our feet and see that the DCE or the MCE tries as much as possible… they should not use those things for their own benefit. They should use it as the government intended. The bulldozers and excavators given to the assembly should be used to build our road,” he emphasised.
N-dian N-akul Hussein also spoke about the numerous potholes that make it extremely difficult for vehicles to pass, especially when loaded with goods. This situation he said has a direct impact on the local economy, as goods cannot be transported efficiently to market areas thereby hindering sales and affecting the livelihoods of many.
“Many vehicles pass this road. Look at the potholes. Whenever they pick up a load, they cannot move, and if the goods are not moved to the areas where they are sold, how can we sell our goods?” said Hussein.
Hussein underscored the urgent need for proper road construction to facilitate smoother transportation, pointing out that roads are essential for the movement of goods and services, which in turn supports local businesses and the overall economy.
He appealed to the authorities to address these issues promptly to ensure that vehicles can move smoothly without any hindrances saying “Our roads should be well constructed so that vehicles can move smoothly,” Hussein urged.
Reporting by Alhassan Tajudeen in the Upper West Region
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