By Kekeli K. Blamey
Battor (V/R), Oct 01, GNA – Dr. John Saviour Eleblu, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate (PC) of the North Tongu constituency of the Volta Region has lauded the government’s District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).
He said such a positive move by the government would engender more confidence in the NPP and improve the citizenry’s economic fortunes.
Dr. Eleblu noted that the road equipment would also help address the poor road conditions across the country including his constituency which also has a fair share of deplorable road conditions across the constituency.
Despite the government’s efforts at road construction and improvement across the country, many roads continue to remain in a deplorable state, especially in the rural areas.
The situation is not different in the North Tongu district which has six (6) traditional areas namely Battor, Mepe, Volo, Fodzoku, Torgorme and Dorfor.
The road from Sege in the Ada West District of the Greater Accra Region to Aveyime, Battor and Mepe is in a bad state. The same situation applies to the road from Mafi Dove Junction in the South Tongu district through Mafi Dove and either through Mepe Degorme or Mafi Aklamador to Mepe and Battor. Portions of the main roads from Mafi Adidome in the Central Tongu district either through Volo and Tagadzi or Adidome through Pordoe to Juapong are also yet to be fully completed.
The deplorable conditions of these roads have left residents of many communities along these stretches of roads to their faith when travelling into or out of the constituency.
Some of the road conditions have been worsened by last year’s spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams that have still left many hundreds of citizens living in Volta River Authority (VRA) constructed tents dotted across the constituency.
At the Mepe Degorme Camp Two, a total of 92 households culminating in 237 individuals are housed there. At Camp One, more than 200 victims are living there.
The North Tongu District Assembly (NTDA) has taken delivery of the road equipment recently procured by the government for use in the improvement of these deplorable roads.They include tankers, tipper trucks, fork lifters and rollers amongst others.
Dr Eleblu described the initiative as laudable and unprecedented in the history of the country, assuring that the machines would be put to use for the benefit of the constituents.
‘We are going to ensure that the equipment is used and all roads linking the various communities are done professionally to ensure that the roads are motorable.
“We will ensure that the roads are motorable, and we are able to move produce from the farms to the markets and also move the people left and right, making sure that there is absolute mobility,’ Dr. Eleblu stated.
The PC noted that the DRIP initiative is critical and must be hailed by the residents of North Tongu, assuring that by the end of the year, all the roads in the district would become at least motorable.
Dr. Eleblu rejected suggestions that the DRIP initiative is targeted at securing votes for the NPP in the December elections, emphasizing that it is by mere coincidence, explaining that government’s developmental agenda could be prosecuted anytime within its constitutional period or mandate.
Mr Divine Osborne Fenu, the North Tongu District Chief Executive said that work would begin on the district roads from next week as soon as the Assembly takes delivery of its grader to make the set of machines complete.
He indicated that the Assembly has drawn a detailed work plan to begin repair works on all roads in the district, beginning from Battor and Mepe areas after which Volo, Fodzoku, Torgorme and Dorfor Traditional Areas would also see serious action on their roads.
Mr Fenu was also happy about the initiative, saying it would go a long way to ensure that roads in the district are made motorable for the use of the citizens. He stressed the need for all road users including drivers and residents in the various communities to support and co-operate with the equipment operators or workers when they hit the road and arrive in their communities.
GNA