The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Shai-Osudoku in the Greater Accra Region, Hon. Ignatius Godfred Dordoe, has appealed to central government to provide dedicated financial allocations to support the operation and maintenance of District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) machines across the country.
According to him, although the DRIP initiative has significantly improved road maintenance and flood control efforts within the district, assemblies are struggling to sustain the heavy operational and maintenance costs associated with the machines using only their Internally Generated Funds (IGF).
Speaking in an interview with 1960news.com, the DCE explained that operating heavy-duty equipment such as graders, excavators and other earth-moving machines requires huge financial resources, particularly for fuel, servicing and replacement of damaged parts.
“The truth of the matter is that it’s not easy to run an earth-moving machine because when you take a grader, for example, it’s not easy to buy fuel for it because they consume a lot,” he stated.
He noted that the machines perform critical road reshaping, dredging and drainage works, but their efficiency depends heavily on continuous financial support.
“Their engine capacity and the volume of work they do require serious support. For it to be solely placed on the assembly’s IGF becomes a challenge,” he added.
Hon. Dordoe explained that the Assembly is currently forced to suspend operations intermittently while mobilising resources before work can resume, a situation he said affects productivity and timely interventions.
“That is why we are advocating to central government to cushion us, at least with some allocation, so that it can complement what we generate through IGF. If we have a proper allocation and a clear plan, the machines can run throughout the year,” he said.
The DCE also revealed that the Assembly has an existing servicing arrangement with Plant Pool but admitted that settling maintenance obligations has become difficult due to inadequate funds.
“Sometimes it is even about servicing. We have an agreement with Plant Pool and it’s not easy because we are owing them. If a blade gets worn out and needs replacement, it is not easy,” he lamented.
Despite the challenges, Hon. Dordoe described the DRIP policy as a “fantastic intervention” by government, saying it has already brought visible improvements to roads and flood management within the district.
According to him, the programme has enabled the Assembly to reshape several roads, undertake dredging exercises and carry out drainage works in flood-prone communities.
“As we speak now, although there have been heavy rains, we have been able to manage the flooding situation. You have not heard of Shai-Osudoku in the news like what is happening in Accra and some other areas because the DRIP machines have helped us to do dredging works and road interventions,” he stressed.
He therefore urged government to continue investing in the programme, especially for district assemblies that depend heavily on such interventions to improve local infrastructure.
The DCE further appealed to residents to remain patient and continue supporting the Assembly as efforts are being made to improve roads and drainage systems across the district.
He disclosed that some of the DRIP machines are currently working at Kasar, but ongoing heavy rains have temporarily affected operations in certain areas.
“The machines are currently working at a place called Kasar. Because of the heavy rains, the grader has been parked temporarily since it cannot work effectively in the mud,” he explained.
Hon. Dordoe assured residents that the Assembly remains committed to delivering better roads and improved drainage infrastructure despite the financial constraints.
“My message to the public is that this is a fantastic intervention from government. What we are asking is for government to support us with allocations so the machines can continue to run. The people should be encouraged and hopeful because we will deliver better results,” he said.
When asked whether the operational costs of the machines have become a financial burden on the Assembly, the DCE admitted that although the programme places some strain on the Assembly’s finances, it also reduces pressure from communities demanding road improvements.
“If you balance the equation, it gives us some kind of strain, but it also eases the pressure from the communities. So it is a 50-50 situation. It is a win-win for all of us,” he remarked.
