The government is set to deploy earth-moving equipment procured under the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) for the construction of farm roads across Ghana.
This announcement was made by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku.
Speaking to journalists in Kumasi on Sunday, June 15, Mr. Opoku stated that all districts would be provided with the necessary fuel to operate the DRIP machines, ensuring they are utilized for their intended purpose.
The Minister revealed a strategic shift: the government will temporarily halt all major road construction projects in rural areas to prioritize the effective utilization of the DRIP equipment. “What we intend to do is to provide all districts with the financial resources to fuel the machines and use the available equipment to develop access roads. This will make it easier to transport food from farms to communities without any difficulty,” he explained.
Mr. Opoku further disclosed that he intervened to stop officials who were preparing to award new road construction contracts in rural areas. “Just last week, some people were preparing to award contracts for the construction of roads in some rural communities. I asked them to stop because we already have the equipment. All we need to do is provide them with fuel and let them go to work,” he added.
