The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Roland Atanga Ayoo, has handed over several development projects to contractors for execution, describing the interventions as critical steps toward positioning the municipality for metropolitan status.
According to Mr. Ayoo, the projects, which are funded through the District Assemblies Common Fund, span education, health, water and sanitation, and are aimed at improving service delivery across the municipality.
“We are doing about six projects. As of yesterday, we went to cut sod at some of the places,” the MCE said. “We have also completed one of the SOCO projects, which is a CHPS compound at Yipaala, and yesterday we officially handed it over early in the morning.”
He explained that the project tour continued to Kaabisi, where a new kindergarten block with a urinal pit, an ICT centre and a library is being constructed. The Assembly is also undertaking the construction of ten hand-pump boreholes and two mechanised boreholes to improve access to potable water.
“We proceeded to Zaare, where we cut sod for the construction of eight boreholes, and later moved to Dapooretindongo, where we intend to rehabilitate the health centre,” Mr. Ayoo stated. “After the rehabilitation, it will be upgraded because it serves most of the town communities and even people who travel from far away, especially on market days, to access health services.”
At Kulgo-Aguusi, the MCE said the Assembly is constructing a new junior high school block to replace an existing structure that has become unsafe.
“You don’t have to wait until a building falls on children before you take action,” he said. “So we are giving them a very nice junior high school.”
In the Apiriga enclave in the Sherigu area, Mr. Ayoo announced the construction of a kindergarten block to address the absence of early childhood education facilities.
“The whole Apiriga enclave does not have a KG block. Children attend KG as far as in Tindonmolgo,” he explained. “During the rainy season, parents are always worried whether their children will return home safely. To take off that risk, I decided to give them a KG.”
Additional CHPS compounds with mechanised boreholes are also being constructed at Tanzui and Sawaaba. The MCE noted that Sawaaba, a densely populated Zongo community, has long struggled with access to healthcare.“Anytime they want delivery services, they have to travel far,” he said. “By providing this facility, we will relieve them of that pain.”
Mr. Ayoo indicated that contractors have been given a maximum of two weeks to mobilise and move to the site. He said borehole projects are expected to be completed within four months, while health facility projects will take about six months.
He appealed to beneficiary communities to support the contractors. “I am calling on the communities to assist the contractors by providing free labour where possible,” he said, adding that community cooperation would “facilitate the speedy completion of the projects.”
To ensure quality work, the MCE encouraged residents to actively monitor construction. “We are engaging the communities to conduct social audits,” he said. “Once they know a CHPS compound is being built in their area, they will monitor and supervise, and that will prevent contractors from doing any shoddy work.”
Reaffirming his vision to elevate Bolgatanga to metropolitan status, Mr. Ayoo said the projects align with his broader development agenda.
“You cannot move into a metropolitan status if you do not work on your health sector,” he noted. “You also cannot talk about becoming a metro if roads within the town and access to rural areas are not improved. All these developments will add up to make Bolgatanga a metropolitan.”
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Joshua Asaah | Bolgatanga
