Members of the Minority Caucus in the Upper West Region are calling for urgent deployment of officers from the 48th Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces to the region to help create alternative access routes for residents reeling under the effects of recent floods.

Major roads in and out of some parts of the Upper West Region have been washed away following a downpour in the region over the weekend.

The situation has affected mobility and consequently affected economic activities in some parts of the region.

There have been assurances from the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta to the effect that the roads and damaged bridges in question will be fixed.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, a spokesperson of the minority caucus, Dr Sebastien Sandaare, said the deployment of the officers through a collaboration between the Roads and Defence Ministries will help bring some relief to the residents.

“We as the NDC caucus and representatives of the people of the Upper West Region in Parliament are calling on the relevant authorities to take urgent remedial action to deal with the misfortune that has befallen our kinsmen. We recommend that the Ministry of Roads and Highways should liaise with the Ministry of Defence to as a matter of urgency deploy the 48th Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces in the region to create temporary access routes while efforts are made to rehabilitate the roads and bridges,” he said.

Dr. Sebastien Sandaare, who is the Member of Parliament for Daffiama-Bussie-Issa constituency, commended the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin; Roads and Highways Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Atta and the Upper West Regional Minister, Hafiz Bin-Salih for their swift reaction to the situation.

He however urged the various stakeholders to ensure that trunk and feeder roads that were destroyed by the floods are fixed in addition to the major roads.

“We have taken note and therefore wish to acknowledge the swift intervention of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament in calling on the relevant authorities to intervene. We also acknowledge the swift response of the Upper West Regional Minister and Road and Highways Minister in touring the region to assess the extent of damage and subsequent directive for the rehabilitation of affected roads to be commenced in earnest.”

“Don’t limit it to major roads, but also the feeder roads that have equally been affected by the floods. Maintenance work should be conducted on the existing alternative routes to deal with the growing human and vehicular traffic to forestall a total collapse of the road network in the region,” he added.