OUR POLITICIANS ARE OUR WOES OF DEVELOPMENT

PREAMBLE

I have always been of the view that after Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and General Kutu Acheampong, both past Heads of State of Ghana; there has never been any President to date who is filled with PASSION for true development.

All other Presidents apart from these two have merely been CARETAKER Presidents awaiting the 3rd real President. (I do not see any of the Presidential Aspirants of the two major parties for 2012 being the 3rd real one, you may take this as based on prophesy)

Most Ghanaians know the huge, miraculous development that makes what Ghana is today, without which there is no Ghana. Dr. Nkrumah's huge development in only 8 years can be classified as one of the wonders of the Earth.

Most Ghanaians, however do not know that given the nation's resources and politico-security landscape at the time of General Kutu Acheampong; the General happen to be the 2nd best Head of State after Dr. Nkrumah, in terms of PASSION for national development and real development.

The achievements of General Acheampong are many and heroic, some are the foregoing:-

1. Founding member and a spearhead of ECOWAS
2. “Operation Feed Yourself”….. an ambitious and otherwise successful agric project.
3. The construction of the Regional Capital City of Bolgatanga (Upper East)
4. The construction of Accra, Dansoman Estate.
5. The construction of the Kpong Hydroelectric Dam.

The Information Department of the Ministry of Information must complete the list.

Giving the boisterous political situation in Ghana at the time of the General, one can conclude that his achievements in his short time frame are miraculous.

The normal but weak MAINTENANCE development style of all the rest of Presidents Ghana has tolerated to date is too baby like and too “ordinary” to talk about. Constructions of roads from Brahabebome in Ashanti to Butumagyebu near Ketan in Sekondi are normal baby like national maintenance development.

The development of putting up an university in the North in old ramshackle and dispersed buildings are too baby like to talk about as compared to building University College Of Cape Coast or KNUST in Kumasi, all encompassed in Dr. Nkrumah's God endowed miracle in only 8 years . Indeed one would be right to say Ghana was created / manufactured in 8 years!

MALLAM - KASOA HIGHWAY
During the last two terms of the NPP rule, the then Minister in charge of Roads, Dr Anane, twice on national TV announced that an overpass was going to be constructed at the Central Cross Junction at Kasoa during the construction of the Mallam Kasoa Highway.

The said junction has the Western arm towards Winneba to Sekondi Takoradi. The Eastern arm back towards Accra. The Northern arm towards Bawdwiase to Swedru and Nsawam. The Southern arm towards Nyanyano at the sea. This Cross Junction is now the transport / business / social centre of the fastest growing city in West Africa and perhaps Africa.

Indeed compensation was paid to affected landlords affected by the proposed overpass. Some of these landlords demolished or partially demolished their buildings. The proposed construction was to have affected the then Kasoa Police Station and Electricity Company of Ghana Offices at Kasoa. These days almost all the demolished houses have been repaired by the owners.

Presently as we all know in Ghana, this overpass was never constructed despite some compensation paid to some landlords.

TRAFFIC CATASTROPHE
With the advent and almost completion of the Mallam (MIDA) overpass very soon; a traffic catastrophe is going to explode / at the said KASOA CROSS JUNCTION. It has already started presently. During most part of the day (5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily) there is a heavy snail paced traffic jam going in all the 4 arms for about 4 kilometres each away from the said cross junction.

All the huge boisterous present traffic jams at Kaneshie – Ordorkor – Mallam on one part. Legon – Abeka Lapaz – Mallam on another part, Winneba—Kasoa on yet another part, Bawdwiase—Kasoa on another part, Nyanyano—Kasoa on the last part:- are all going to explode at this said KASOA CROSS JUNCTION such that it would be virtually impossible to do the following:-

1. To live in the huge sprawling township of Kasoa, because the Politicians failed to create; neither alternative road inlet nor outlet to and from this sprawling township except the existing main highway. They (politicians) left the fastest developing township in Africa to the game of chance.

2. Drive from Accra through Kasoa anywhere westwards.
3. Drive from Sekondi Takoradi through Kasoa to Accra.

The improved flow of traffic at Mallam Junction, going to be facilitated very soon by the MIDA overpass, would push most traffic east of Kasoa to pile-up and explode like a suicide bomb at this cross junction.

SOLUTION
We as a nation and the Politician as the omnicompetent, omnibus and final determinant of all national development have to conjure / divert / secure funds for an overpass at Kasoa Cross Junction as an emergency to almost coincide with the completion of the MIDA overpass at Mallam Junction. If this is achieved by the politician, I suggest the name MOCHIA OVERPASS assigned to it.

MISCELLANEOUS PROJECT MISHAPS
There seem to be another political mishandling of a private compost plant at Adjen Kotoku in Accra. This has to do with the road network leading to the proposed compost plant going to be used by all refuse trucks from most parts of Accra to the plant and back.

Use of Railway line to aid cartage of refuse from Accra – Tema metropolis to the Adjen Kotoku Plant is a must. Special “bola” train carriages must be bought by Government to aid the Private Owners. Most “bola” trucks could offload their refuse at Achimota Railway Station, Teshie-Nungua, and Tema Rail Station (or appropriate “bola” rail station en-route) as the “bola” train drives en-route from Tema to Adjen Kotoku.

I hope the politicians are considering the above carting-of-refuse options as they hope to partner the private plant operators. One hint: - There is a laterite road from Kasoa through Oboum Road to Domiabra to Adjen Kotoku. The Planners might have to improve this road to greatly augment the compost plant. This Kasoa road would be used by Refuse Trucks from Accra South, Kasoa and perhaps towns between Kasoa up to Winneba. The delay of construction of the Achimota Road would affect negatively trucks using that road to Adjen Kotoku.

The construction of the said MOCHIA OVERPASS is going to facilitate refuse truck movement from Accra South through Kasoa—Oboum Road—Domiabra to Adjen Kotoku.

There are other grave project mishaps which would be brought forward in subsequent articles, namely; LANDS COMMISSION SECRETARIAT.

ANTHONY ACKAH: {Authour of manuscript “8 YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN”}