The paramount chief of the Kologo Traditional area in the Upper East region Naba Tandegrewunkugre Asobayire v, has applauded government for the ongoing constructions of the Navrongo-Kologo-Naaga road.
Speaking at the annual Naba Yesiga festival of the Chiefs and people of Kologo, Naba Asobayire noted that the people of Kologo had endured untold pains particularly during the rainy season before the 42-kilometre-long road construction contract was awarded. Whilst stating further that the road had been a death-trap to its users, the chief also called on the contractor to speed up work so as to relieve the road users of the prolonged trauma associated with the poor state of the road as soon as possible.
Project manager and site engineer for Plans Construction Firm (the constructions firm working on the road) Jojo Ofori Minkah noted that a significant work has so far been done on the 42 Km road. “from Bosco stretch of the road to Naaga which runs through 42km and the scope of work is to rehabilitate the road and then put bitumen on it. it’s a Virgin Road, it has not seen major works as it’s currently been done, we’ve done formation up to the shop base and we’ve done some drains within the Navrongo enclave to almost the OLL Secondary school and currently the most dangerous portion on the road; the river side, last year I was around during the rainy season. when its rain, nobody goes, nobody comes. teachers and nurses used to go through a lot, sometimes they carry people and their bags, sometimes they carry motorbikes and take 5 cedis and above, and so it was part of management plan to make sure the community don’t go through this kind of stress any longer, so, we prioritised that particular place to make sure we do a lot of work and now we’ve given a new direction to the water”.
He bemoaned the phenomenon where government fails to pay contractors on time to enable them carry out their work to the satisfaction of road users. He is optimistic that work on the road will be speedy should pay arrears on time.
Naba Asobayire v, also used the occasion to plead with government, non-governmental Organisations as well as other benevolent organisations to support the community with a police station to aid in fighting crime. He noted that the Kolgo-Navrongo stretch of the road usually record armed robbery cases and that there is the need to have a police station build. He recounted how residents of Kologo lynched a daylight armed robber and pustulated that the presents of a police station will go a long way to curtail these acts.
Gaspard Ayuureneeya