The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has today Monday (June 13, 2022) cut sod for the construction of the Tamale-Yendi-Taletale highway in the northern region.
The 167.98km road which comes with auxiliary facilities is a $150 million loan facility from the World Bank under the Transport Sector Improvement Project.
This is another giant step the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia led New Patriotic Party administration has taken to enhance the road infrastructure sector in the northern region following the completion of the first ever interchange and the ongoing 100km asphaltic overlays.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony in Yendi, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia stated no government since independence has done more roads than the Akufo-Addo government.
“I am happy that the Year of Roads that His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has declared continues unabated. People can talk all they want but we will continue to do for the people of Ghana. Whilst they are talking, we’re doing”.
According to Dr Bawumia, the project will promote the government’s drive to ensure inclusive and balance development in northern Ghana, an area he added has been identified as one of the poorest regions in the country.
In the northern region, the Vice President indicated some critical road projects are busily ongoing which includes the 51km Zabzugu-Nakpali road [60% completed], 52km Salaga-Kpandai road [60% completed], Salaga-Bimbila (71km) also at [66% completed], upgrading of 51km Nanton-Karaga road at [45% completed], 24km Karaga-Gushegu road which is also 30 percent completed.
He added the Akufo-Addo government in the last five year has commence or completed substantial portions of the eastern corridor road as opposed to the lip service of the erstwhile National Democratic Congress government.
In addition to undertaking this 167km highway between Taletale and Tamale, the Vice President disclosed an additional 670km and 240km of feeder roads would be rehabilitated in the Upper West and Bono regions respectively as part of the loan facility from the World Bank.
“It means under this Transport Sector Improvement Project 1,077 projects of roads would be rehabilitated within the next two years” Dr Bawumia stated.
Meanwhile, the Northern Region Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, said the road when completed will reduce traveling time and improve economic activities in the area especially commuters between Taletale and Yendi.
He said the relief and huge economic benefits that would derived are so immense and as an agricultural area with huge potentials in maize, yam, soya beans production among others, the project is bound to contribute significantly in enhancing the livelihood of the people.
“It is a real game changer for us and we are grateful” he praised. The Member of Parliament for Yendi, Hon Farouk Aliu Mahama, for his part thanked President Nana Akufo-Add for the numerous developmental projects, adding Yendi for the first time is enjoying the asphaltic road network and the new Yendi City vision is being realized steadily.
