President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday launched the ambitious District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) and commissioned road maintenance equipment in Accra to improve the country’s road networks.
DRIP represents an important turn in the government’s ongoing efforts to decentralize development and improve the quality of life for Ghanaians.
Speaking at the launch of the programme, President Akufo-Addo was optimistic the DRIP would bridge the gap in Ghana’s rural development.
He said the initiative served as an impetus to deepen the decentralisation concept by transforming the district road infrastructure to underpin a vibrant local economy.
President Akufo-Addo emphasized the need of road infrastructure for economic growth and social development.
He said ensuring a quality road network was vital for the effective delivery of essential services.
“Roads connect communities, facilitate trade, enable access to education and healthcare, and ultimately improve the quality of life for the citizenry,” he stated.
Under the Programme, the Government is providing the country’s Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies with the needed machinery and equipment to undertake routine repairs, rehabilitation, and maintenance of the road network in their communities.
Some 2, 240 fleets of equipment, including bulldozers, tipper trucks, concrete mixers, wheel loaders and motor graders, were inaugurated for distribution to the Assemblies during the DRIP launch.
The agenda is to build the capacity and empower the Assemblies to plan, implement and monitor road projects at the local level.
“This development is unparalleled in the history of Ghana,” President Akufo-Addo said of the initiative, and enjoined the Assemblies to endeavour to own the Programme.
They should be focused on the project at hand to enhance connectivity, economic activities and living conditions of the people, he advised.
The President stressed the importance of maintaining local road networks for economic development.
He noted that efficient travel reduces time and cost, boosts local economies and productivity, and that providing local authorities with resources and equipment fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, ensuring that road projects are customized to local needs and conditions.
President Akufo-Addo noted that the DRIP initiative, intended to create some 10, 000 jobs, was in sync with the Government’s road development policy to open the country for trade and investment.
Elaborating on the achievements of his administration in respect of road infrastructure, he said that some 12, 830 kilometres of road projects had been completed over the last seven years.
His tenure has also led to the construction of six interchanges, while ten such projects are also being undertaken across the country.
The President acknowledged the huge work required to address the nation’s road infrastructure deficit.
consequently, the government had stepped up its efforts to work with stakeholders by mobilizing the necessary resources to address those challenges, he said.
President Akufo-Addo urged MMDCEs to adhere to the operational manuals supplied by the supervising ministries and stakeholders to ensure adequate equipment maintenance.
He also asked the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development to implement monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track progress and enforce accountability.
The President reiterated the government’s commitment to improving road networks across the country.
Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister of Roads and Highways, said the ministry and its affiliate agencies were committed to providing the necessary technical assistance at both the national, regional and district levels to ensure the effective execution of the initiative.
The minister hinted that the machinery and equipment provided for the DRIP were assembled locally under the supervision of the 48th Engineering Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Madam Irene Naa Torshie Addo-Lartey, Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), said the delivery of the equipment was part of the government’s strategic objective to structurally enhance the ability of the MMDAs to attain district-level economic independence.
She was optimistic that the DRIP initiative would help local businesses, enhance accessibility, and stimulate regional economic growth, among other things.
