The Member of Parliament for the Lambussie constituency in the Upper West Region, Dr Bright Bakye Yelviel Baligi, has made a passionate appeal to the government to give a face-lift to roads within the Lambussie constituency.

He made this known while donating various working tools such as sewing machines, hairdryers and welding equipment to beneficiaries who have completed or are still training in vocational and technical skills.

The move was to guarantee the sustainable livelihood of the teeming youth in the area.

Lambussie Community-Day SHS rainfall disaster

He also visited the Lambussie Community-Day SHS to have first-hand information and to assess the magnitude of damage caused by a torrential rainfall that wreaked severe havoc by ripping off the roofing sheets of the school.

He lamented and noted with grave concern that, the above development has greatly exposed the students and staff of the school to danger and does not equally create a good ambience for learning.

He said his outfit has already notified the necessary authorities including the Ghana Education Service and NADMO to, as a matter of urgency, come to the rescue of the students; adding that he is very optimistic that the authorities will answer their call to rescue.

Road network in the Lambussie Constituency

Commenting on the road network in the Lambussie constituency, the Hon. Member of Parliament expressed with unfettered joy, a high sense of gratitude to the government for the excellent work done in the construction of the Nandom-Hamile road which serves as a major route among ECOWAS countries or the sub-Sahara enclave, particularly that it connects the Lambussie constituency with neighbouring Burkina Faso.

He however painfully recalled, with great concern that; since the creation of the District in 2008, it has not seen any major road construction in the district. He lamented particularly about the Lambussie-Piina-Samoa-Suke road, Lambussie-Billaw-Banwon road as well as the Piina-Koro-Cheboggo-Hamile road.

The Piina-Kpare-Karni road wasn't left out either. He said “These roads, among others, are not fit for purpose” adding that, this is particularly true as the rainy season is fast approaching. To this end, he made a passionate appeal to the government through the Ministry of Roads and Highways to come to their aid by fixing the roads in the Lambussie constituency as a matter of urgency.

Effect on Agriculture

He further observed that the primary occupation of most of the people in his constituency is basically anchored on farming and that in recognition of the agricultural sector’s potentials and the president’s undying resolve and commitment to attracting more educated youth into agriculture through its flagship programme of Planting for Food and Jobs, it would make economic sense if some attention is given to the road network of farming constituencies in the country especially that of Lambussie; where the farmer folks find it difficult, if not impossible, to transport their farm produce to storage or market centres due to poor road network.

This, sometimes, results in post-harvest losses and further weakens the margins of rural farm households; thereby dampening the spirit of the farmer folks.

To this end, he posited that if the objectives of government’s flagship programmes on agriculture, particularly that of Planting for Food and Jobs would be realized, then it would be tenable to argue that, roads be constructed in most farming constituencies especially that of Lambussie to facilitate the transportation of farm produce and also curb the incidences of post-harvest losses.

Effect on Health

The Hon. Member of Parliament further argued that the deplorable nature of the roads equally affects the health delivery system in his constituency. In his submission, he maintained that the poor nature of the roads prevents most patients in the constituency from reaching clinics in accessing health services.

He said this is particularly the case during the rainy seasons, when flooding is most common, putting communities apart.

He also bemoaned the fact that the district doesn’t have a Hospital necessitating the transportation of patients, including pregnant women on motorbikes and bicycles to hospitals of neighbouring districts such as Nandom and Jirapa.

“Most of the critical patients are always transferred to the Nandom Hospital for medical care and they have to be carried on Motor-Bikes and Tricycles on such bad roads. This “greatly affects pregnant women and may lead to loss of lives of both mothers and babies during childbirth”. He lamented.

Role of the hamile Border

The Hon. Member of parliament posited that the Hamile border in his constituency plays a pivotal role in revenue generation to the central government. He noted with unbounded honour that, the Hamile border, which shares the boundary of Ghana and Burkina Faso in the north serves as a major route to major neighbouring countries in the Sub-Sahara including Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, by which government generates a lot of revenue for development.

In retrospect, he pointed out that, in the year 2014, the Hamile Border Town post secured a second position in the country as the best performing internal revenue generation border in the country.

As a result, he reasoned that the construction of major roads in the Lambussie constituency would invariably translate into more revenue generation to the government since most ECOWAS countries or those within the Sub-Saharan enclave are more likely to patronize that route into the country. In the light of the above, he argued that it is high time the Lambussie constituency was recognized and given its share of major road construction within the constituency.

Appeal to government

The Member of Parliament, Hon. Dr Bright Bakye Yelviel BALIGI appeals to the government to come to the aid of his constituents, as a matter of urgency in resolving the deplorable nature of roads in his constituency so as to rekindle the spirit of the farmer folks and the business community.

“I have confidence in the leadership of H. E. President Nana Addo's government that the constituency will receive its share of development especially road construction before the end of the government’s third year in office,” He remarked.