Roads in Builsa South, badly damaged by recent rains

Major road networks in parts of the Upper East Region are badly damaged as a result of the recent torrential rains that swept across the region. 

Communities in the Builsa South, which is one of the worst affected districts had been completely cut off as portions of roads linking Fumbisi to other adjoining communities are washed away, making the untarred stretches immotorable. 

The situation which keeps occurring in the wake of any heavy downpour had crippled the movement of people as well as goods and services. 

To this end, the MP for the Builsa South, Alhassan Azong is requesting recognised institutions and the Road Ministry to consider prioritizing competitive bidding in the award of road contracts. 

This, he noted will avoid incidence of shoddy works as only competent contractors will be carefully selected for the execution of road projects. 

Mr. Azong gave the recommendation when he took turns to tour some of the flood affected areas in the constituency. 

Radio Ghana’s Isaac Asare reports that, the heavy rains recently experienced in parts of the Upper East Region caused extensive damage to households and large tracts of farmlands. 

The ten-hour downpour accompanied by floods displaced dozens of persons who are currently in dire need of relief items to sustain the livelihoods. 

Moreover, some road networks including existing culverts were not spared by the floods. 

Road users, particularly drivers that ply on portions of the affected roads are very apprehensive about the consequences, should the road continue to deteriorate. 

Some of the affected roads include Siniesi-Doninga stretch, Fumbisi-Kanjaga as well as Fumbisi-Yuasa-Naadema which links the area to Walewale in the Northern Region. 
Due to the gravity of the situation, the MP for the Builsa, Alhassan Azong had toured some affected communities including portions of the roads to assess the extent of damage caused. 

He was worried about the level of destruction and blamed the defects on shoddy work and poor supervision on the part of road contractors.  

Though, he announced some remedial interventions to salvage the situation, Mr. Azong advocated for a paradigm shift in the award of contracts to help expose incompetent contractors.

During the tour of the affected roads, there were some spot maintenance works being undertaken by a local contractors to allow for easy passage of goods and services. 

At Kanjaga, some residents were seen struggling to use their motorbike and bicycles to cross a river since the only culvert linking the communities had collapsed. According to them, it took them five days for the flood to recede before they could cross to other neighbouring communities. 

Mr. John Apaabey is the Assembly member for the area. 

According to him, the deplorable nature of the road network has to an extent increased the vulnerability of the people and called on the support of other organisations to put the roads back on shape.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Meteorological Agency says the Northern part of the country will experience more rains this month. 

The Agency is therefore asking people in low lying areas to move to higher ground to avoid being taken by surprise floods. 

The Agency is also asking NADMO to be on the alert since the rains will also be heavier in Burkina Faso which will lead to spilling of dams there. 

The Officer in charge of the Airport Office of the Meteorological Agency, Joe Tetteh Portuphy, told George Asekere, that the rains will move to the Southern sector next month. 



GBC