MP demand return of Contractor to Langbensi-Wunduu Road Project to boost local economy
The Member of Parliament for Nalerigu/Gambaga, Hon Alhaji Baba Seidu Issifu, has dragged the Minister for Roads and Highways to parliament, demanding the return of the contractor working on the Langbensi to Wunduu road project.
According to him, the current state of the road is worse than before the contract was awarded as the Contractor started working and then abandoned it halfway soon after the 2016 elections.
He said the contractor was on site but left soon after the change of government without finishing the project, thereby making life unbearable for residents and travellers on that stretch of road in the constituency.
Hon Issifu made the demand when he posed a question to the Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Kwesi Amoako-Atta in parliament on Friday, November 5, 2021.
“Mr Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what plans the Ministry has to construct the road from Langbensi to Wunduu?, Hon Issifu quizzed the sector Minister.
In response, the sector Minister Kwesi Amoako-Atta said the 25.7km road is an inter-district feeder road that connects the East Mamprusi District in the North East Region to Karaga district of the Northern Region.
According to the Minister, the road which has been identified at the Ministry as the Langbinsi-Wundua-Kpasong-Kpukpalga road has its sections from the Langbinsi-Wuadua, fairly gravel surfaced.
He explained to parliament that the road was awarded the contract under the Department of Feeder Roads (DFR) under the contract name Rehabilitation of Langbinsi-WunduaKpasong-Kpukpalga Feeder Road.
The Minister noted that work commenced on 8th December 2016 and was to be completed on 8th March 2018, but physical progress work up to date is at 15 per cent complete.
“Mr Speaker progress of work so far is that bush clearing Construction of 12no. 1/900mm diameter pipe culverts 1no. 3/3mx3m box culvert 1no. 2/2×2 BC. Work on the project has stalled. The contractor has been issued with first and second warning letters for abandoning the project site and there is no indication that the contractor will resume work. The project has since been recommended for termination,” Hon Amoako-Atta told parliament.
As to the plans for the project after termination, the Minister added that “engineering studies would be conducted on the remaining works by the end of December 2021 to determine the intervention required on the road to be considered in DFR 2023 budget.”
But Hon Issifu told EXPRESSNEWSGHANA, he was not satisfied with the Minister response on grounds that, the Langbensi to Wunduu is an important feeder road which when completed would further boost agriculture and economic activities in that enclave of the country.
He added that, waiting till the 2023 budget to resume work on the road would have die consequence not only on the people of the area but the entire part of the North-Eastern enclave which produces food in large quantities to feed the nation as the Minister admitted the road is an inter-district feeder road.
While lamenting the poor state of the road and the plight of his constituents, Hon Issifu said, he would intensify lobbying at the Roads and Highways Ministry and its agencies to ensure that the contractor returned to the site to complete the work.
He said terminating the contract, repackage and reward to a different contractor would not only double the cost but would undoubtedly delay the execution of the project and further worsen the state of the road.
Nevertheless, the MP asked the government through the sector Minister to consider the road in the 2022 budget which is expected to be delivered in parliament by the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori Atta.
He also appealed to the Feeder Roads Department of the Ministry of Roads and Highways to facilitate the rehabilitation of some deplorable roads leading to farming communities in his constituency.
This is to aid the transportation of foodstuff to markets in the region and the southern part of the country.
Mr Issifu said grading the feeder roads would prevent glut at the farm gates and as well improve the economic status of the farmers.
Source: expressnewsghana.com
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