Govt paying lip Services to Road Infrastructure Challenges-MP for Nelerigu/Gambaga

The Member of Parliament for Nalerigu/Gambaga, Hon Alhaji Baba Issifu Seidu, has accused the Akufo Addo government of paying lip services to the roads infrastructure challenges of the people of Nalerigu/Gambaga in the North East Region.

According to him, the non –commitment to the completion of some key rural road projects in parts of the Constituency were enough reason(s) that the government was careless about the well-being of the people.

Hon Issifu Seidu made this comment after he had summoned the Minister of Roads and Highways to parliament on Friday, November 12, 2021, over abandoned road projects in some of the rural communities within the Constituency.

The MP wanted to know from the Minister for Roads and highways what plans the government has to construct roads in some of the rural farming communities to ease access to their farmlands and market centres.

“Mr Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what plans the Ministry has to construct the road from Gambaga through Dagbiriboari to Tamboaku,” the MP asked.

In response, the Minister, Hon Kwesi Amoako-Atta said, the 23 kilometres Gambaga – Dagbiriboari – Tamboaku road is a feeder road and that about 1.3 km of the road has been upgraded to the asphaltic surface and is in good condition.

According to the sector Minister, the remaining length is gravel/earth surface and in fair condition, emphasizing that the Contract for the Upgrading of the earth/gravel section of the road to bitumen surfacing is divided into four (4) phases.

The four phases he said were the Upgrading of Gambaga – Tambogo Feeder Road at 6km, Upgrading of Gambaga – Tambogo Feeder Road 6km, Upgrading of Gambaga –Tambogo Feeder Road at 16km and the Upgrading of Gambaga – Tambogo Feeder Road at16-23km.

“Mr Speaker, all the above-listed projects are ongoing and physical works achieved include clearing of vegetation and construction of 200m of 0.6m diameter concrete u-drain,” Hon Amoako-Atta said.

But Speaking to EXPRESSNEWSGHANA, after the Minister responsible, Hon Issifu Seidu said, the answers the Minister provided were inaccurate per the situation underground.

He said the Minister answers were contrary to the reality on the ground and that he has the high impression that, either the Minister has been misled by his technical men, being economical with the truth of the reality of the roads or both.

The MP said, currently there is nothing to be described as the road on those sections of the communities and that, no car could pass on the routs except bulldozers, graders and tractors

He expressed doubts as to whether the Minister was speaking with facts, stressing, “As we speak, there is no Contractor and no work on that section of road. There was only one Contractor that appeared on-site and left. The Contractors appear not to have the capacity to construct that road. So if by 2022, nothing is done, the contract should be terminated and rewarded.”

He said navigating through some of these roads on daily basis is like passing through hell, adding that each day, motorists and commuters groan on the road.

It’s a regular occurrence for passengers and motorbike riders to fall into the murky and dusty perpetually domiciled on the roads.

The people in these communities, Hon Seidu said hopes were being dashed daily, noting that there is no assurance if the rural communities would ever be remembered by the current government.

Nonetheless, he assured that as MP for the people, he would double up his lobbying at the Ministry to have the roads fixed for his people.