John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticized the government’s District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), saying it lacked sufficient planning.
The DRIP’s goal is to provide Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) with the tools and resources they need to maintain and repair the roads in their jurisdictions.
This program supports the government’s decentralization efforts by arming local governments with the means to bring about significant change.
As part of his campaign tour, the NDC flagbearer nevertheless contended that the effort was hurriedly put into place by the ruling party in order to gain political points during his speech at the Bono Regional House of Chiefs.
“The DRIP initiative was not well thought through and this is evident in a video I saw on how the equipment was transported to the various localities.
“The government should have gotten payloaders to ensure an appropriate transportation of the equipment. Apart from that, some of the machines have been left unused because there are no skilled workers to operate them.”
Background
On July 31, President Akufo-Addo formally introduced the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) and turned on crucial machinery at Black Star Square.
A major step forward in the government’s continuous efforts to decentralize development and raise Ghanaians’ standard of living, the event is intended to strengthen the nation’s road networks.
President Akufo-Addo emphasized in his speech the vital role that road infrastructure plays in social and economic development. He said, “Roads connect communities, facilitate trade, enable access to healthcare and education, and ultimately improve the citizenry’s quality of life.”
The President admitted that despite recent major improvements, many district roads are still in bad condition, which hinders development and economic activity.
DRIP has a large fleet of 2,240 pieces of machinery, which includes water tankers, tipper trucks, backhoes, rollers, wheel loaders, bulldozers, and low beds in addition to motor graders.
It is anticipated that these devices would be essential to the enhancement of the country’s road network.
