The Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa-Naa Manama Abukari, has made a passionate appeal to the government to address the poor roads network in the area.

He lamented that the poor nature of the roads in the region was aggravating the poverty situation of the people, hence the urgent need for the government to work on the roads.

Yaa-Naa Abukari made the appeal when the Minister of Transport, Mr Kweku Ofori-Asiamah paid a courtesy call on him at the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi.

“All our roads are in bad shape I, therefore, entreat your ministry and for that matter government to pay special attention to our roads,” Yaa-Naa stated.

Yaa-Naa remarked that the deplorable roads in the region were driving investors away from the area and that it was time the government tarred roads.

He bemoaned that the armed robbers took advantage of the bad nature of the roads to rob traders of their life saving on the roads.

Yaa-Naa Abukari also called on the ministry to establish an office of Drivers Vehicles License Authority (DVLA) in Yendi.

He argued that opening DVLA office in the municipality would help to minimise road accidents in the area as more drivers would be trained and educated on the traffic regulations and sign.

Yaa-Naa added that establishing such an office in the municipality would further lessen the suffering drivers of the region go through in acquiring drivers’ license.

The Minister of Transport, Mr Kweku Ofori-Asiamah, said though the roads were not under his ministry he would communicate the concerns to the sector.

He also assured that the government was working hard to link all the district capital to regional with tarred roads.

Mr Ofori-Asiamah indicated that president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is determined to fix roads before end of his tenure.

The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, who accompanied the transport minister to the Gbewaa palace assured the overlord that the President was aware of the roads and ready to address the situation.

He hinted that sooner than later some of the roads in the area would be awarded on contract.

Ahaji Shaibu, therefore, pleaded with the chief to bear with government as it rolled out plans to work on the roads.

He emphasised the president’s commitment to addressing the challenges facing the region in the very shortest possible time.