Upper West Minister pledges heavy infrastructural investment

Dr Hafiz Bin-Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, has promised heavy infrastructural investment that will see massive construction and rehabilitation of roads and completion of projects initiated by the previous administration to improve livelihoods.

He said his leadership would ensure the completion and operationalization of the Upper West Regional Hospital, which was stalled over the years and commencement of commercial flights at the new Regional Airport refurbished by the past government.

Dr Bin-Salih made the pledge in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) Chief Director, Mr Gilbert Nuuri-Teg, during the 2018 Annual Review session held in Wa.

He said 69 solar powered limited mechanized boreholes under the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives (SDI) were under construction in various communities across the 11 constituencies.

“My topmost priority is to see the completion and operationalization of some major projects in the Region,” he added.

Dr Bin-Salih said the SID Ministry was constructing a 10-seater water closet institutional toilets with mechanized boreholes across the Region to improve sanitation and water situations.

Under the Government’s One-Village One-Dam policy, the Minister said a total of 110 dams had been handed over for construction nationwide with each of the regions receiving 10 dams.

He said 1,000 metric tons capacity warehouse project had been constructed at Bulenga, Busie, Han and Chariakpong while the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) was constructing three warehouses at Tumu, Funsi and Lambussie to supplement existing storage facilities.

Dr Bin-Salih said the Regional Coordinating Council had received funding from the World Bank for civil works on the construction of Lambussie water supply system, rehabilitation and expansion of Hamile and Happa water supply systems and establishment of 10 water systems at Lawra, Jirapa, Nandom, Sissala West and Daffiama-Busie-Issah districts.

He said the Nation Builders’ Corps had engaged 2,256 graduates in various modules while the National Youth Authority engaged 770 persons in 2018.

New modules would be rolled out in April to engage about 3000 youth in poultry production, shea butter processing and smock weaving, he added.

Mr Salifu Issifu Kanton, the Executive Director of Community Development Alliance (CDA), appealed to MoFA and stakeholders to institute robust measures to curb the menace of fertilizer smuggling in the region.

He urged MOFA to ensure equitable distribution of fertilizers and other materials as well as extend it to all farmers regardless of their gender, religion or ethnicity.

Mr Samuel Larbi, the Budget Officer for Wa East District Assembly, asked the RCC why Wa East District had been excluded from the urban road network project.

He said road construction, under the urban roads project, were ongoing in other districts but none was going on in the District, which made residents to feel neglected.

But the RCC Director, Mr Nuuri-Teg, urged him to exercise patience as some of the road projects, including the Funsi urban road network, had been concealed and would be reassigned under the Sinohydro road projects, launched by the President early last week.