By Iddi Yire, GNA
Chuchuliga (UER), Aug. 14, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama on day one of his two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper East Region, has inspected the progress of work on the Navrongo–Chuchuliga–Tumu road, which is part of the Government Big Push infrastructure programme.
Speaking at Chuchuliga in the Builsa North Municipal District, the President said the road was very important because it links the Upper East and Upper West Regions.
He said if one was travelling from Bolgatanga to Wa, this was the route one takes through Tumu all the way to Wa.
President Mahama noted that the entire stretch from Navrongo-Chuchuliga to Wa had been divided into lots and awarded to different contractors, adding the Chuchuliga lot was being undertaken by MyTurn constructions.
“I remember that in 2016 we cut the sod for this project, but we left office and unfortunately the progress of work came to a halt. I am therefore happy to have come back here, and this time the project is being implemented under the Big Push Programme, he said.
President Mahama reiterated that the Big Push roads were priority roads, and budgetary allocations were made every year for them; saying “therefore, payment is not a problem”.
He added that as soon as certificates were presented, payment was guaranteed within 30 days, contractors received their money and could return to work.
He said MyTurn was a competent contractor and had been working for many years.
He also assured the contractor that if they finish the project on time, they could have another bite of the cake for phase two of the Big Push Programme.
“The engineers have assured us that the work is on schedule, and so we hope that you will maintain the schedule so that by next year we can return to commission this road,” President Mahama said.
He expressed the hope that by 2028, the entire stretch from Chuchuliga to Wa would have been completed and that when they were driving from Bolgatanga to Wa, they should have a very smooth road to travel on.
President Mahama said their intention was to link all the regional capitals to one another with good roads.
Adding that in addition, some of the major districts would also receive road improvements.
The President assured the people of the Upper East Region that the roads they selected for construction were part of the first phase of the Big Push and that they were already scoping a second phase of the Big Push.
Mr Kwami Governs Agbodza, the Minister of Roads and Highways, said since the President gave the directive for the payment of contractors, as of last July, 2026, the Government had paid a total of GH¢23.1 billion, including payments to Big Push contractors and the settlement of arrears.
He said the bulk of that amount was arrears, adding that President Mahama would be on record as the President who paid the largest portion of arrears under any government in the nation’s history.
“You are not only continuing projects you inherited; you are also undertaking new ones,” he said.
Mr Agbodza said in the Upper East Region, there were many issues that they needed to address, and that they had started addressing them.
He said in every constituency and every district, road issues were being addressed.
“In the coming months, you will see many of the roads that people have been concerned about receiving attention, with contractors returning to site to commence work,” Mr Agbodza said.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo