Former Member of Parliament for Bongo, Simon Alagre, has called for increased government investment in roads and healthcare infrastructure, lamenting decades of inadequate development in the district.
According to him, despite interventions by successive governments, Members of Parliament and local authorities, several communities in Bongo continue to struggle with poor road networks and inadequate healthcare facilities.
Mr Alagre traced the district’s infrastructure challenges to the period before Bongo attained district status in 1988, when it formed part of the then Bolgatanga administrative area.
He said development projects undertaken in Bolgatanga at the time did not adequately extend to Bongo, leaving the area with limited infrastructure, apart from a few facilities, including schools established during the administration of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and the Bongo Health Centre.
Although he acknowledged improvements over the years, the former MP maintained that the district had yet to receive the level of investment required to address its development needs.
He identified the poor road network as one of Bongo’s most pressing challenges, noting that several communities remained connected by untarred roads.
According to him, beyond portions of the main Bolgatanga-Bongo road, many roads linking communities across the district remain in poor condition, affecting transportation and access to essential services.
He mentioned the Bongo-Namoo, Namoo-Feo, Namoo-Zorko, Feo-Soe, Soe-Dua and Dua-Akayonga roads, as well as routes serving Yorogo and Gurigo, as areas requiring urgent attention.
Mr Alagre argued that improving these roads would facilitate economic activities and make it easier for residents to access healthcare, education and other essential services.
He therefore called for a major government intervention to improve the district’s road network and address years of infrastructure deficits.
Beyond roads, the former MP expressed concern about healthcare infrastructure, particularly the need to improve facilities at the Bongo hospital.
He also lamented the absence of a mortuary in the district, describing it as a major challenge for families who lose relatives.
“We don’t even have a mortuary. We don’t want to be dying, but then death is inevitable. It’s a reality. And when it happens, I mean, where do we dump the bodies? It’s serious,” he said.
Mr Alagre stressed that improving healthcare infrastructure, including the provision of a mortuary, should be a priority for the constituency’s political leadership.
He acknowledged the contributions of successive Members of Parliament, District Chief Executives and other local authorities towards addressing the district’s development challenges.
However, he maintained that the scale of the infrastructure deficit required substantial support from the central government, beyond what local authorities could provide.
The former MP called for coordinated investment in roads, healthcare and other essential infrastructure to improve living conditions and create economic opportunities for residents.
He argued that sustained government attention to Bongo’s development needs would help bridge the infrastructure gap between the district and other parts of the country.
