Ghana MPs Inspect N12 Road Upgrade to Boost Safety and Efficiency

MPs Take Road Safety to Heart, Inspect N12 Upgrade

Upper West Regional Minister Charles Lwanga Puozuing and the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) joined the Upper West Parliamentary Caucus, led by its leader, Daffiama-Bussie-Issa MP Dr Sebastian Sandaare, to inspect ongoing works on the N12 Bole-Sawla-Wa highway.

The delegation visited sections of the highway at Tuna, Kulmasa, and Gindabuo to assess progress and the security conditions for contractors working on the project. The inspection showed ongoing road clearing, drainage works, repairs to damaged sections, and asphalt works.

Road Upgrade Progresses Under Big Push Programme

The Upper West Parliamentary Caucus is committed to ensuring the project's completion on schedule or ahead of schedule. Regional Minister Charles Lwanga Puozuing commended the contractor but urged the company to increase the pace of work and deploy additional gangs to ensure the project's timely completion.

Site Manager and Quantity Surveyor for Melpuoma Limited, Samuel Asante, said the company's workers were operating throughout the week, with some concrete gangs working as late as 2 am. The project, scheduled for completion in 2028, is currently about four percent complete, with the contractor expressing optimism about completing it ahead of schedule.

Jobs, Security, and Development

Wa West MP and former police officer Supt. (Rtd) Peter Lanchene Toobu said the project demonstrates the connection between road infrastructure, employment, and security. He praised President John Dramani Mahama's promise to turn Ghana into a construction site, saying the Big Push programme was now making that vision visible.

Mr. Toobu also highlighted the employment created by the project, saying it could help reduce crime by keeping young people engaged. "From the security angle, I am looking at the number of people employed. The devil finds work for idle hands. Everybody is busy on the road – young men and women," he said.

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Call for Dugouts and Skills Development

Wa East MP Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw called for some of the gravel pits created during construction to be converted into dugouts to provide water for livestock during the dry season. He also commended the employment opportunities created by the project and urged the contractor to develop the skills of local young people so they could remain employable after the project is completed.

Caucus Promises Further Inspection

Dr. Sandaare said the inspection had confirmed that work on the N12 was progressing, but stressed that continued monitoring would be necessary to ensure the contractor maintained the pace. "We can see and testify that the Big Push project is working. It is pushing! I was with the Minister some four months ago on this very road. Comparing then and now, the testimony is that work is ongoing actively," he said.

The Upper West Parliamentary Caucus has promised to continue monitoring the project on behalf of residents, with a visit scheduled for the last quarter of 2026 to assess progress and improvements made. The ultimate objective is to significantly reduce travel times between the Upper West Region and Accra.

Source: JOY