Kumbugu MP whines over poor roads

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu, Moses Amadu Yahaya has identified the development of road infrastructure as the surest way the Kumbungu District could attract investors to improve on the socio-economic gains of the people.

The MP is confident that the development of the road network in the area would immensely open up the district, ensure smooth transportation of farm produce to the urban centres and also facilitate easy business activities.

Mr. Moses Amadu Yahaya, who was speaking at a ceremony to present standby generators to the palaces of seven (7) selected chiefs in the Kumbungu District, was particularly worried about the persistent refusal of successive governments to develop the roads in the area, in spite of the enormous resources and gains the region was deriving from the district.

The Kumbungu District, which produces a lot of foodstuffs, fisheries, sand and gravels for building purposes and also serves as the source of drinking water to Tamale is underdeveloped and has the worst form of road networks.

According to the MP, it would be very difficult for the people of the area, who are predominantly peasant farmers to have a meaningful life, if the roads were not developed to link the district to the northern regional capital, Tamale.

Kumbungu is one of the nearest districts to the capital, Tamale, but several of its communities are cut off by rivers, streams and inaccessible roads.

As a result, business activities continue to suffer setbacks leading to mass migration of the youth to Tamale and the southern part of Ghana for menial jobs and non-existing opportunities.

However, the MP believed there was no need to apportion blames, since the ruling government seemed to have plans to tackle the road and other development infrastructure under the better Ghana agenda.

Mr. Moses Yahaya said that government during the last election in 2012 engaged the services of a contractor on the Tamale-Kumbungu road, but the work got aborted after the elections.

He is, therefore, calling on government to prioritise the construction of roads in Kumbungu, especially the Tamale-Kumbungu road, which had received several political promises after independence.

The MP also a development worker, who used to work with the Ghana Developing Community Association (GDCA) in Tamale, expressed the worry that almost all the feeder roads, bridges and coverts in the various communities in the Kumbungu District had been destroyed and required immediate attention.

According to him as a result of the bad roads and several rivers cutting off some of the communities from the district capital, farmers and pregnant women continued to face real challenge in accessing the market centres and health facilities in the area.

After the presentation of the generators, Mr..Moses Yahaya toured some parts of the District to familiarize himself with the development challenges facing the area.

The MP promised to prioritise the promotion of agriculture, youth and women empowerment, quality education, health and job creation.

The Paramount Chief of Kumbungu, Kumbu-Naa Alhaji Iddrisu Abu commended the MP for the support and encouraged him to maintain the passion he had been exhibiting towards the development of the area..

The donation is part of the MP's contribution to ensuring that all the major palaces in the constituency have alternative source of power to contribute to the development of the area.