The Upper East Region has received 117 earth-moving equipment meant to improve the road network under the District Road Improvement Project (DRIP).
It can be recalled that President Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo commissioned 2240 equipment, which included motor graders, backhoes, rollers, wheel loaders, bulldozers, tipper trucks, concrete mixers and water tankers to be distributed to all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country.
The DRIP aims to enhance the country’s road networks and marks a pivotal milestone in the government’s ongoing efforts to decentralise development and improve the quality of life for Ghanaians.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Dr Alhaji Hafiz Bin Salih, said the major challenge in the region was the poor nature of roads but with the distribution of these heavy machines, it was expected that the road network would be improved upon.
“I expect that each Assembly will put the equipment into good use and by next week all the Assemblies will get their machines to enable them to start shaping the roads under their jurisdiction” he announced.
The equipment is made up of 15 Tipper Trucks, 15 Back Hoes, 15 Water Tankers, 15 Motor Graders and 15 Rollers.
The rest are six Wheel Loaders, three Bull Dozers, three Low Beds and 30 Concrete Mixers.
The Regional Minister explained that a set of equipment assigned to a particular district would not cross into another as a tracker would be installed on them to prevent such illegal movement.
He added that the Common Fund Administration would also make resources available to support the operations of the equipment.
He further noted that aside from the road improvement plan, the DRIP policy would also create 450 direct jobs because each Assembly was expected to engage 30 people to man the equipment.
The Regional Minister urged the media to support the Assemblies in the region to ensure that the machines were not misused by reporting relevant and accurate information on their use.
Godwin Nkunu, ISD
