Mahama cuts sod for Bolgatanga-Pulmako road project

President John Dramani Mahama on Monday cut the sod for the commencement of work on the 110-kilometre road from Bolgatanga to Pulmako in the Upper East Region as part of his two-day ‘Accounting to the people tour’.

The road, which is scheduled to be completed in two-and-half years, would cover the Red and the White Volta with 176 culverts, three bridges and by-passes along the Zebilla-Bawku area.

President Mahama noted that the road would be a link to the Eastern Corridor, where it would connect Bolgatanga and Pulmako and the other stretch from Nankpanduri in the Northern Region and also link up the Upper East Region through Garu-Tempane and Kulugungu to neighbouring Burkina Faso.

"It will make movement of people, goods and services easier to promote the socio-economic development of the people in the sub-region."

President Mahama said the 110-kilometre road would also have speed ramps and three overpasses over the Azoka Senior High School and would connect seven districts in Bawku.

He said it would also promote active agricultural activities by providing easier transportation of farm products from the northern part of the country to the southern part, and vice versa.

He said government is committed to improve quality health delivery system by building hospitals, which include the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital and providing other necessary health needs to promote the socio-economic development of the people.

President Mahama said government has done its best by creating jobs and providing quality livelihood for its people and would continue to meet and satisfy the demands of the citizenry as mandated by the 1992 Constitution.

President Mahama, who also addressed the chiefs and people of the Bawku Traditional Area, assured them of government’s unrelenting effort to provide development in the area, and called for their support to achieve these goals.

He said government has built a shea nut processing factory to boost the crop production and has also activated the rice processing factories to help alleviate the worries of rice farmers in the region.

He said he would do everything possible to ensure a free and fair election to maintain the country’s peaceful record.

The President inspected the Bawku water project and cut the sod for the construction of the Teme Irrigational Dam in the Garu-Tempane District for the promotion of dry season farming in the area.