Fufulso - Sawla Road: A significant route receives attention

Zakaria Alhassan Opinion Jun - 12 - 2014 , 11:46

The Fufulso-Sawla road is very significant . It transports people and goods along the Western corridor of the Northern Region.

It does not only serve commuters travelling to West Gonja and the Upper West Region, but also leads tourists to important historic sites such as the Mognori ECO village, the Mystic Stone and the ancient Mosque at Laribanga as well as the largest game reserve in the country at Mole.

The 4,577 square- kilometre park is state-owned and home to over 94 mammalian species such as lions, leopards, buffaloes, hyenas and elephants. It is therefore not surprising that this natural conservation area attracts hundreds of tourists, mostly foreigners, every year, thus generating lots of funds for the state.

The road leading to these important ecotourist sites has, however, been in a deplorable condition over the years, leaving passengers with bitter memories of frustration and bodily pains following long hours of travel on the pothole-riddled dusty road.

As a result, the road has claimed several lives and maimed many passengers in accidents thus, causing untold pain and hardship to families and relations of victims.

Project

It was therefore with much joy and anticipation by residents of the area, drivers and commuters when a sod-cutting ceremony was performed for the commencement of work on the “death trap” two years ago.

Though the people were happy, they were at the same time sceptical about the realisation of the project following similar promises and groundbreaking ceremonies that never saw the light of day by past governments.

Two years on , the 147.5- kilometre road project is on course. And barring any unforeseen challenges, the about GH¢162 million project would be completed by April 2015.

Contractors

The China International Water and Electric Corporation are working on the Lot One while their counterparts, the China Habour Engineering Company Limited, are handling the Lot Two.

Even though those portions have been spread with initial chippings, they are not complete yet as additional chippings are to be added to make the road more formidable and durable.

Benefits

Apart from making the road motorable and thus, reducing the volume of dust, drains have also been provided at various villages and towns.

“We cannot quantify the benefits that have come with the project. As I talk to you now, about 95 per cent of the workforce of the contractors, the Chinese International Water and Electric Corporation, are made up of local employees,” the DCE stated.

New and modern school blocks are also being put up while some existing ones have been renovated in the district. Other communities have benefited from the provision of boreholes.

Markets are also to be constructed for communities such as Busunu, while clinics, teachers’ and nurses’ quarters have also been earmarked for construction for some deprived communities in the area.

And according to Mr Ali, “the Damongo hospital has already received two ambulances as part of the benefits accruing from the road development and more assistance will be realised at the end of the entire project.”

He said upon completion of the project, more investors, including tourists, would turn their attention to the area to enjoy the many investment opportunities that abound in the district and also visit the various tourists sites located in the area for memorable experiences.

Motorists and commuters

“Master, you will not appreciate what this project has so far achieved in facilitating smooth movement of goods and people if you did not know how it was before the commencement of work.” This expression by a Benz bus driver, Iddrisu Musah, sums up the contentment of drivers and passengers commuting the road daily.

According to him, he used to spend over three hours from the Fulfulso Junction to Damongo but now spent about an hour for the same distance. “I suppose upon final completion, the time will further be reduced,” he said.

A student of the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Hamdiya Ibrahim, said the project had come a long way to relieve them of not only the several hours spent on the road but the discomfort and accidents that were associated with it.

A resident of Jonokpon along the Fufulso-Damongo road, Mariama Muniru said, “the volume of dust we were compelled to inhale was unbearable. Some of us suffered chest pains and difficulty in breathing, but with the tarring of the road now, we have a new lease of life.”

Appreciation

Every resident and commuter this reporter spoke with expressed their appreciation to the government for walking the talk in the implementation of the project which they noted was long overdue.

“For me, as a direct beneficiary of the project, I would like to commend the government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for their commitment and courage in seeing through this project which successive governments in the past failed to implement,” a worker with the Chinese contractors, Issahaku Braimah, indicated.

A Laribanga resident, Muhammadu Issah, said he was hopeful that, with the completion of the project, their economic situation would improve since they would now be able to travel to Tamale often to trade and also receive more visitors to their town.

“What else can I say but to thank the ruling government for heeding our pleas. Our long suffering would soon be over as we pray the project would come along with more blessings to improve our socio-economic situation,” he intimated.

A student of the Damongo Senior High School, Sumaya Ibrahim, said even though she expected the government to have extended development projects to the area, “I am simply overwhelmed by the level of assistance we are getting through the multi-million road project even before its completion.”