The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Volta Region, went on an inspection tour on Wednesday to emphasize its assertion that the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), is taking its stronghold, the Volta Region, for granted.
On a tour of some sections of the Eastern Corridor road network, the NPP’s Volta Regional Chairman, Peter Amewu, described the work done on as shoddy and unfair to residents of the region.
Citi News’ King Nobert Akpablie, was on the ground with some NPP Volta Regional executives, who highlighted the patches on the eroded portions of the road, as well as the potholes on sections of the six month-old Asikuma-Have road, purported to have an asphaltic concrete base.
“This is the legacy that John Mahma and his NDC are leaving to people of the Volta Region. An asphalt road constructed less than six months, they have to go back and cut the road because it is not properly done, it is shoddy.”
“…an asphaltic concrete laid within three months had to be cut to this extent to amend the road, there is a complete failure,” the NPP Volta Regional Chairman lamented.
Mr. Amewu also disputed claims that work was ongoing on some uncompleted sections of the Eastern Corridor stretch.
“We have been told that it is work in progress on this road. We will drive on the road, and ask yourself if you will even see a single grader or a bulldozer or any working equipment parked on this road,” he told the media.
Road has not been handed over to gov’t
Speaking on Eyewitness News however, the NDC’s Volta Regional Communications Director, Kafui Agbleze, said the Asikuma-Have road has not been completed yet, as the contractors are yet to hand over the road to government.
Thus, it is not out of the ordinary to see evidence of potholes and cracks in the roads, he explained.
“For the Asikuma-Have stretch of the road, the contractors have not finished work, and they have not handed over to the government… In every contract, when the contractor is on the roads, definitely, there may be some potholes or some cracks that may develop on the road and those that have been determined, they repair them.”
Mr. Agbleze further argued that, the criticism of the roads would only be waranted when the road is handed over to government.
“…But so long as the contractor has not finished work on the Asikuma-Have road, you cannot say that a road which has been done some six or few months back has developed potholes. If they hand over the road to the government, then people can begin to raise eyebrows,” he stated.
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Photos: King Nobert Akpablie
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana