Tongrann appeals to govt to accelerate work on poor roads in UER
The Paramount Chief of the Tongo Traditional area, Tongraan Kugbilsong Nanlebegtang, has appealed to the government to adopt accelerated approach to work on the poor road networks in the Upper East Region particularly the township roads.
The paramount chief who is a Member of the Council of State made the call at the Regional Town Hall meeting held in Bolgatanga, the regional capital here yesterday.
Whilst commending the government for the numerous programmes being implemented in the 15 municipalities and districts including Planting for Food and Jobs, the One Village, One Dam, the paramount chief stressed that the road networks in the region “was nothing to write home about.”
He, therefore, appealed to the government to, as matter of urgency, adopt an accelerated approach to help address the problem, particularly the township and the Bolgatanga–Bawku roads.
Tongraan Nanlebegtang further underscored the need for the government to honour the promise it made during the election period to establish an airport in the region, to save people from travelling far away to the Northern Region capital, Tamale to board plane.
Whilst assuring the government that the region had already devoted an area for the construction of the airport, the paramount chiefs admonished the citizens in the region to bury their differences for the sake of development of the area.
Majority of the participants at the forum who backed the call of the paramount chief on the need for the government to adopt pragmatic and speedy approach in addressing the challenges in the road sector said the situation was very unbearable.
Before the commencement of the forum, the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah told the stakeholders that the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Ado was delivering on programmes at a time and mentioned the Free Senior High Schools (SHS), Planting For Food and Jobs, Rearing for Food and Jobs, the recruitment of youth under Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) programme.
He entreated all Ghanaians to be “supporters and partakers” of all the programmes and policies the government was rolling out to help make greater impact on the livelihoods of the people.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Ms Patience Paulina Abayage, on behalf of the people in the region, commended the government for the considerable number of development in the region and stated that the planned inauguration of the Pwalugu multi-purpose dam by the government in November this year would help boost the agriculture and the energy sectors.
The municipal and district chief executives from the 15 municipal and district assemblies in the region took turns to make presentations about the level of development progress they had made and challenges.
The forum under the theme “Accounting for financial sector resolution, jobs and agriculture,” attracted stakeholders including traditional rulers, civil society organisations, representatives of political parties, the media among others.
FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, BOLGATANGA