Former President and flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2024 general election, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, has strongly criticised the government’s District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).
According to him, the DRIP initiative was not well thought through and that it was only hastily implemented by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to score political points.
Mr. Mahama’s comment followed his recent directive to NDC supporters to destroy posters of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on the DRIP machines, leading to chaos in some of the beneficiary communities.
The DRIP has been designed to empower Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) with the necessary resources and equipment to rehabilitate and maintain roads within their areas.
The initiative aligns with government’s commitment to decentralization, providing local authorities with the tools to effect meaningful change.
It includes a comprehensive fleet of 2,240 pieces of equipment, including motor graders, backhoes, rollers, wheel loaders, bulldozers, tipper trucks, concrete mixers, water tankers, and low beds.
These machines are expected to play a crucial role in the nationwide improvement of road infrastructure.
However, addressing the Bono Regional House of Chiefs as part of his campaign tour, Mr. Mahama claimed the initiative was hurriedly put together for votes in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
“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,” the NDC flagbearer stated.
Background
It would be recalled the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, July 31, launched the DRIP and commissioned essential equipment at Black Star Square.
The event, aimed at enhancing the country’s road networks, marks a pivotal milestone in the government’s ongoing efforts to decentralize development and improve the quality of life for Ghanaians.
Addressing Ghanaians after the inauguration, President Akufo-Addo highlighted the critical role of road infrastructure in economic growth and social development.
“Roads connect communities, facilitate trade, enable access to education and healthcare, and ultimately improve the quality of life for the citizenry,” he stated.
Despite significant progress in recent years, the President acknowledged that many district roads remain in poor condition, impeding economic activities and development.
