The Savannah Regional minister, Hon. Salifu Adam Braimah with a team from the Savannah Regional Coordinating council and other heads of security agencies in the early hours of Sunday met Hon. Amoaku Attah (Minister for Roads and Highways) at Nyoli. A community that serves as a boundary between Savannah region and the upper West region.
At Nyoli, Mr. Paul Duah (Savannah Regional Highways Director) briefed the minister on the ongoing resealing and sectional rehabilitation of the Sawla-Nyoli road which extends from Km 37 to Km 57. The road according to the Regional Director the project when completed will provide Intra-regional connectivity by connecting Damongo to Nyoli via Sawla. It will also connect La Cote D’Ivoire (At Elubo), Sunyani, Goasu, Techiman, Damongo, Wa and Burkina Faso(at Hamile). 6% progress on the road have been made.
Hon. Amoaku Attah was pleased with the quality of work being executed but was quick to caution the Regional director never to allow contractors who are not instantly available to deliver. “You have my blessings to terminate any contract regardless who is handling it. We don’t have time and the good people of this country deserves better “ says Hon. Amoaku Attah.
The team advanced to Damongo but stopped briefly at the Sawla weighbridge to monitor their operations.
While en route to Damongo, the roads minister spotted some sections of the Sawla-Damongo road which got him worried. He sourced for reasons from the Regional Director of highways as to why that stretch of the road is in bad state. Mr Duah explained that the road was constructed some years back and they have made attempts to get the contractor back on site to fix the decapitated sections.
Unsatisfied with response from the director, the sector minister mandated his chief Director to ensure that section of the road is fixed effective a week from the day he spotted the area, even if it has to be funded with the support of the Ghana roads fund. “The lives of the people of this country matters “ He added.
In Damongo the Savannah Regional capital, Hon. Amoaku Attah held a press conference at the conference hall of the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council.
At the press conference, he made projections on the road inventory and conditions in Savannah region.
According to him, the Savannah region has a total road network of 3,484.96 with Ghana Highways Authority (GHA) being in charge of 933.90 Km, Department of Feeder roads (DFR) in control of 2,280.14 while the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) handles 270.96.
He added that good roads under GHA is about 336.20 Km representing 36%. Fair roads under GHA is about 252.15 Km representing 27% and poor roads is about 345.54 representing 37%.
Good roads under DFR 701.72 Km representing 30.78%, fair roads is about 1151.87 Km representing 50.52% and poor roads amounts to 426.55 representing 18.71%.
Finally on DUR, he indicated that, good roads is about 67.45 Km representing 24.90%, fair roads is about 45.57 Km representing 16% and poor roads is about 157.90 Km representing 58.28%.
All departments that operates under the aegis of the ministry of roads and Highways in Savannah region has 31.72% (1105.4Km) of the roads in good state, 41.60% (1449.59 Km) fair state and the poor roads amounts to 26% (929.99 Km).
Finally at the press conference, Hon. Amoaku Attah stated on authority that construction of new bridges at Yapei, Buipe and Daboya will commence at the same time and continue simultaneously till completion.
The roads minister was joined by the deputy chief of staff and parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Damongo Lawyer Abu Jinapor to break ground for the construction of town roads in Damongo.
The team then proceeded to Daboya where the minister inspected construction works meant to upgrade the 73Km Daboya-Mankargu road. Project is being executed by Maripoma Ent. Ltd. Expected date of completion is on the 10th of August 2022. At the site the minister expressed his satisfaction at the quality of work being delivered and also encouraged them to do more.
The minister brought his visit to a closure at Yapei where he cut sod for the commencement of the construction of the Yapei, Buipe and Daboya bridges. The company that has been assigned to execute the project is QQGM.
Borejinkpr Habibu Muftawu
(PRO SRCC)
