The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate (PC) for the North Tongu constituency of the Volta Region, Dr. John Saviour Eleblu, has described the government’s ‘District Road Improvement Programme’ (DRIP) as unprecedented and unmatched. According to him, such a positive move by the government would not only engender more confidence in the NPP but also improve the economic fortunes of the citizenry.
Speaking to our news team at Battor, 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 remain deplorable, especially in rural areas. The situation is not different in the North Tongu district, which has six (6) traditional areas: 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 bad shape. 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 traveling into or out of the constituency.
Some road conditions have been worsened by last year’s spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams which have still left hundreds of citizens living in Volta River Authority (VRA) constructed tents dotted across the constituency.
At the Mepe Degorme Camp Two (2) for instance, a total of ninety-two (92) households culminating into two hundred and thirty-seven (237) individuals are housed there. At Camp One (1), more than two hundred (200) victims are living there.
The North Tongu District Assembly (NTDA) has received the road equipment procured by the government to improve these deplorable roads. They include tankers, tipper trucks, forklifters, and rollers amongst others.
Speaking to our news team in an interview at Battor, the NPP PC for the area, Dr. John Saviour Eleblu described the initiative as laudable and unprecedented in the history of the country, assuring that the machines would be put to good use for the benefit of the constituents.
‘We are going to ensure that the equipment is put to good use 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 can move produce from the farms to the markets and move the people left and right, ensuring absolute mobility,’ Dr. Eleblu stated.
The Parliamentary Candidate noted that the DRIP is critical and urged the North Tongu constituents to welcome the laudable initiative, 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 the government’s developmental agenda could be prosecuted anytime within its constitutional period or mandate.
The District Chief Executive for the area, Divine Osborne Fenu said work would begin on the district roads from next week as soon as the Assembly takes delivery of its grader to complete the set of machines.
According to him, the Assembly has drawn a detailed work plan to begin repair works on all roads in the district, beginning from the Battor and Mepe areas after which Volo, Fodzoku, Torgorme, and Dorfor Traditional Areas would also see serious action on their roads.
Hon. Fenu was also happy about the initiative, saying it would go a long way to ensure roads in the district become motorable for 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.
