Residents and commuters plying the Suke-Nyvil road in the Lambussie District of the Upper West Region have commended the District Chief Executive (DCE) and Member of Parliament (MP) for the area for gravelling the road.
The road, which connects several Sissala communities, had deteriorated significantly over the years, making transportation difficult, with some sections being impassable for motorists, particularly during the rainy season.
The poor condition of the road had negatively affected farmers and traders and increased the cost and time of transporting farm produce to market centres.
Speaking in an interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Suke, Mr Suulising Kanton, a commuter, said most commercial drivers had abandoned that stretch due to frequent vehicle breakdowns.
He noted that the DCE’s prompt intervention would encourage commercial drivers to resume plying the route, particularly during the rainy season.
Mr Antiemeh Adama, a trader from Suke, said the Suke-Nyvil road was a major road that connects Suke to Zini, Gwollu and Tumu.
He, therefore, appealed to President John Mahama to, as a matter of urgency, include the Suke-Nyvil road in the “Big Push” programme to facilitate the easy transportation of goods and services.
“We thanked the DCE and MP for fixing the road temporarily to facilitate easy movement, especially during this rainy season.
We want the government and the Minister of Roads to fix the road permanently to reduce the cost of transportation of goods and services”, Mr Adama said.
Mr Jamal Kudus, a commercial driver who plies the Suke-Wa route, also expressed gratitude to the DCE and the MP for the area for fixing the road.
He said: “I used to spend several minutes navigating that stretch, and even sometimes my vehicle broke down in the process. But now I can ply the road without stopping.”
Mr Zimi Kanintii Paul, the Assemblyman of Suke Electoral Area, said the rehabilitation of the road would significantly improve the movement of people and goods, particularly for farmers and traders who depend on the road to transport their produce.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to secure permanent rehabilitation of the route to prevent it from deteriorating in no time.
Mr Ireneous Naawulle Basingbie, the DCE, indicated that improving the road network remained his topmost priority to enhance development, socio-economic activities, and access to essential services.
He said the intervention formed part of efforts to open up farming communities, facilitate the transportation of agricultural produce, improve access to schools and health facilities, and enhance livelihoods.
The DCE added that the gravelling of the roads across the district was intended as a temporary solution to make the roads motorable while efforts continued to secure their permanent rehabilitation.
GNA
