Eastern corridor road project stalls on shortage of funds

Residence of Bimbilla have expressed worry about the current state of the road network hampering their activities.

The Eastern corridor road which was being constructed by a Brazilian firm has been halted due to lack of funds which is currently affecting the indigents especially during the raining season.

it has prevented many vehicles from plying to the nearby farming communities to convey the food stuffs of the farmers.

currently one needs to cross four streams which have been created as result of the abandoned culverts with the river flow from the Oti destroying the unfinished road project.

Though the nature of the road is hampering business activities, it has also created an avenue for the youth who have to be at the various sides to assists passers by or vehicles for a fee.

On my recent visit to the place I learnt that, when a motorbike is carried across the stream, it attracts GH5.00, an adult humanpeing attracts GH2.00 whilst vehicles go for GH5.00 or GH10.00 depending on the size.

Some vehicles after crossing the streams get their engines seized and therefore had to either service it or wait for the engines to dry before continuing the journey.

The majority of tthe population in the area are engaged in the production of stable crops such as maize,yam, millet, soya beans as well rearing of cattle.

the rainfall partern this year has also destroyed the farms in the area while the little obtained from the farm has been locked up because the deplorable state of the road which might affect their income generation.

There is hiccups that has scuttled work on the Yendi- Bimbilla road which could halt the aim of fostering and facilitating socio-economic development in the Northern sector.

The Eastern Corridor road is a project which was started started within the administration of the Late J.E.A Mills and due to some financial constraints brought the project to a halt.

The Mahama administration also reignited the project but due to another insufficient funds, the road has come to a halt with the contractors taken their machines of which the current rainfall has brought headache to the people.

The project which is expected to be completed by the end of 2016 with funding from the Brazilian Development Bank providing 83.33 percent of the contract sum and Ghana government also providing the 16.67 percent.

The part of the $290.64 million 86 km Oti-Damako to Bimbilla and Yendi is now in a deplorable state due to the torrential rainfall and also the over flow of river oti.

Mohammed Abdulai in an interview with the B&FT said the situation at hand is affecting their movement and trading activities since they had to pay extra money for their goods to be to cross tha stream.

He noted that the halting of the project has withdrawn the youths who were engaged to earn a living .

He therefore appealed to government to fast track the project adding that during the dry season it might cause health hazards to the nearby communities.

Abdulai Alhassan also a native at Pusuga said though the issues has made most of the young ones get job to do, it is also affecting their farms since the streams are running to the various farms around.

He urged the stakeholders to take a strategy to construct a dam or dug out to store the water for the lean season to ensure all year round farming activities.