By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah
Tema, Jan. 08, GNA – Economist Worlanyo Mensah has called for the construction of a bridge to link Dambai to Kpandai, stating that it will be a critical intervention for expanding economic activity across northern Ghana.
He explained that the absence of a permanent bridge over the Oti River continues to limit trade, investment and mobility between the Oti Region and the Northern Region.
Dr Mensah told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that reliance on ferries and informal water transport increased the cost of doing business, exposed traders to safety risks and discouraged private sector participation in the area.
He noted that a Dambai-Kpandai bridge would significantly reduce travel time between southern and northern markets, saying that farmers, traders and transport operators would benefit from improved access to larger consumer markets, while businesses in the north would gain easier access to inputs and services from the south.
The economist stressed that the economic impact of the bridge would extend beyond the two districts, potentially transforming economic activity in five to six regions which depended heavily on road networks for the movement of agricultural produce, livestock and manufactured goods.
According to him, investing in strategic infrastructure such as the Dambai-Kpandai bridge would help redistribute economic activity more evenly across the country.
It would also encourage agro-processing, storage and logistics businesses to locate closer to production areas in the north, reducing post-harvest losses and improving incomes for rural households.
Dr Mensah pointed out that the bridge would support government efforts to industrialise the northern sector under initiatives such as the 24-hour industrial revolution, saying that with better road access, investors would be more willing to establish factories and warehouses, knowing that goods could be transported efficiently throughout the country.
The economist emphasised that reduced dependence on ferries would also improve social outcomes and urged the government to treat the bridge as a national priority rather than a regional project.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Benjamin Mensah