From Dorma-Ahenkro to Kumasi to Accra to Tamale to Bolgatanga to Wa to Sefwi to areas in the Volta Region, almost every nook and cranny in Ghana is seeing some form of attention from the Ministry of Roads and Highways. Interventions hitherto unforeseen have replaced fake projects captured in NDC’s green book as “artistic impressions”. Honourable Minister Kwesi Amoako-Atta has proven to be a totally different kettle of fish in comparison to those before him who were bereft of ideas and totally bankrupt in morals, reasons why they were stranded in the midst of the sea of works that they were overwhelmed with. When you see an ocean do not think that it is a regular swimming pool you can just plunge into. You need to be quite a skillful captain to survive the storms. Competent as he is, Minster for Roads and Highways effectively stretched his abilities to ensure that the right thing is done in the roads sector. This is the driveway of our economy.
The development in Ghana’s road agenda is very impressive. Indeed, His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has named 2020 “the year of roads”. It was not a political or election rhetoric, but one that took to flight almost immediately. It reminds me of movement from one flight level to another en route to a destination flying an airplane. So say we were cruising at flight level 016, with the year of roads agenda, we began to soar as we transition to flight level 440. Quite outstanding if you ask me; a straight shot upward to glory.
Here in Ghana, since independence, there has never been a Minister for Roads and Highways, who has achieved in such a relatively short period of time as much as Hon Amoako-Atta has. Driving through Kwabeng to other villages beyond, I was gobsmacked at the dual carriageway with light poles that tapered off into a broad road with drainage on both sides. More amazing is the asphalt resurfacing of the roads in Ashanti.
In 2016, former President of Ghana, incompetent John Mahama, announced an audacious one billion dollar road resurfacing of Greater Accra and Tema project, and Oh My GOD what a disaster it was. Until today, I keep asking the same questions: where did the one billion US Dollars go to? Whose pockets did the money slide into? How much of it was used in the NDC campaign, and how much of it went into John Mahama’s accounts? How much of it went into the perceived terror of the Roads Ministry, John Mahama’s sister? At Achimota, the road resurfacing under John Mahama saw no change. The bad roads metamorphosed into made-up ugliness where instead of getting done well, they were just covered in coal tar and aggregate, some stone chippings the size of my fist. Today, Achimota, too, is seeing some measure of asphalting, from La Paz to Fishpond to Petroleum and other places. Dome-Kwabenya was not left out of the blessings either.
Since the beginning of the new era of competence and the end of decades of redundancy, Presdient Akufo-Addo broke the jinx with a no-nonsense government that is ever willing to put the interest of the nation ahead of all other considerations. Yes, there are many Ministers who have taken competence to different levels at all, but Hon Amoako-Atta and Hon Ken Ofori-Atta top the list. I have felt Amoako-Atta’s disciplinary attitude with my own senses; have heard his no-nonsense dictates with my own ears; and have seen his vision on the ground with my own eyes. This is not hearsay, it is development that is available “fiilifili” for all those who have eyes.
I am told that Kpone-Katamanso, a once stronghold of the NDC is about seeing a massive development in the roads of that constituency. I am of the view and firm belief that Hon Hopeson Adorye will win that seat hands down because of his vision, which is at par with Hon Kwesi Amoako-Atta’s, the best Minster for Roads and Highways to have ever occupied that Ministerial position since independence.
It took him a bit of time to extricate the nation from the wrongful and treasonous contractual agreements that John Mahama had entered into with UBA (United Bank of Africa) and other institutions just to leverage their incompetence to win yet another election that the good people of Ghana denied the NDC by way of Holy ordinance, which debuted President Akufo-Addo as the best president Ghana has ever had so far.
The Chief Director, Director of Feeder Roads and his engineers, those at Highways and Road Fund, and others are doing a yeoman’s job assisting the Minister implement his vision. Not left out are the Deputy Ministers. Wow, what a formidable team!
As3m nokar3 y3n to s3be!
By Fadi Dabbousi