The Kassena-Nankana West District Chief Executive [DCE], Hon. Gerard Ataogye has given the strongest indication that a permanent fix would be found in due course for the collapsed steel bridge over the Gugura River in the Navio enclave of the district. It would be recalled that the said bridge caved in on March 24, 2022 as a heavy haulage truck made an attempt to drive through.
The collapsed bridge has since brought untold hardships on citizens in the area relating to mobility challenges, carting of goods in and out of the area and also, cutting off other connecting communities as well as public servants and business men and women who ply their trade along that route. This same route also connects up with parts of neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Speaking to the media during on Tuesday regarding the Assembly’s relocation to the new office block in Paga-Zenga, off the Paga-Navio road,, the District Chief Executive [DCE] the used opportunity to state that, himself and the Upper East Regional Minister have been on the move to procure a solution to the bridge in question and that just a fortnight ago, he led a “team from the national and then they picked the measurements and other quantities at the site”. Describing the bridge as “a critical one for the district” and that “it had since slowed down the local economy of the district”, Hon. Ataogye said he had no doubts at all that, it will be fixed very soon.
Turning his attention back on the occupancy of the Assembly’s new office block, the DCE noted that the Assembly faced the challenge of working in a congested office space, since its carving from then Kassena-Nankana District in 2007 through to its subsequent inauguration on February 29, 2008. He added that, the congestion continued causing Management to later rent a domestic property at Paga Hill Top and another, to house some fragmented departments of the Assembly over the years till the eventual relocation to the new offices.
According to him, the practice negatively impacted work as documents and officers had some considerable distances to cover to deliver or exchange files cum other duties that would on a regular day, rather demand some quick and timely actions.
Hon. Ataogye thus heaped lots of praises on the President, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his award of the Assembly Block project in September 2018 and following through with the regular release of funds for its completion. He said being in the new block alone is enough motivation and that, he expects a lot more from his officers and hopes will be comparatively smoother at the new office facility.
He disclosed that the new Assembly block was equipped with about 25 office spaces working out to 15 offices down while the remaining 10 were on the top floor. In addition to the client service arena within the block, the facility also has a conference hall with a little over 100-seater capacity which the DCE says was even more than enough for the Assembly’s 66-member General House; 46 of them elected and the other 20, appointed.
Hon. Ataogye also commended the about seven paramount chiefs within the district’s jurisdiction for their continuous and prompt support and counsel during all the times the Assembly needed it and hoped such mutual collaboration continues. He also revealed that there was impressed with the huge progression of work on the government’s agenda 111 hospitals’ project as he passed there yesterday to realize the contractor had brought roofing materials among others.
Source: mywordfmonline.com.