Lack of culture of maintenance - The worst in the Nana Addo led NPP government

Lack of maintenance of facilities belonging to the state has seriously affected successive governments in Ghana. The current NPP government's approach in dealing with this situation is worst. I cannot treat every aspect of governance in a single topic. I have, therefore, been constrained to look at some of the roads the NPP inherited from John Mahama (NDC), which are now in a very deplorable state as a result of lack of maintenance.

Although during the John Mahama led NDC government there was economic hardship in the country, infrastructural developments such as roads, schools, hospitals and many other projects were massive. In fact, it was around that time the NPP asked the NDC if Ghanaians would eat roads, and vice president, Dr. Bawumia, also delivered one of his famous campaign messages, "Shoeshine boys are suffering and Kayayei are suffering, ...."

Former president, John Mahama and his lieutenants, had convinced some of us to believe that the projects they were undertaking would transform the economy, which could ultimately create more jobs to ease the burden on our living conditions. Unfortunately, in the 2016 general elections, the NDC government was truncated because John Mahama did not win his second term.

Before that election, a negative picture was painted about Nana Akufo Addo that he was not going to be a good president. Some of us prayed that he should not win the election because we were afraid that should he win, he would worsen the already impoverished economy then. However, Nana eventually won.

We came to terms with his victory and decided that since he had won we should assist him otherwise if he fails, it will seriously affect us economically.

So far, we have not seen improvements in many facets of the economy as NPP propagandists would like us to believe. For instance, let us look at the road sector. Out of sheer negligence, the government allows four roads they inherited to deteriorate. They then build one new road and start jubilating that they have made an achievement.

The road in my area was completed and handed over to Nana Addo in 2017, but it is now out of shape due to lack of maintenance. The road stretches from the Tuba junction to the main Tuba township, linking Kakraba and Adade, and through Winger and other townships it joins the Liberia camp road on the Kasoa/Winneba highway. There are many potholes on this road, especially between Kakraba and the Tuba junction.

The Tuba township has two beautiful roundabouts which are not very far away from each other. It is rare to see two roundabouts in a short distance away from each other in the country. These roundabouts are now eyesores, because of the same pothole problems. The road around the Montessori school which leads to the Tuba junction is the most affected.

The gutters alongside the road are completely filled with sand, as a result of the rainwater collecting sand from the nearby hill top. The road over there easily gets flooded when it rains, thus washing away a great chunk of the bitumen used in the road construction.

Now, from the Tuba junction to the toll booth area heading towards the stretch opposite the hill top where Asamoah Gyan's mansion is located is also a flood prone area. Moving away from there to the SCC traffic lights at the West Hills, there is a big gutter in front of a block factory adjacent the traffic lights which has diverted its course.

The water from the gutter is flowing direct on the main road for a very long time now. From there going to the old barrier, is another serious flood spot on the road facing the Atala iron rods company building.

It is so pathetic to notice that all these bad roads have been neglected, but the moment there are by-elections in these areas the roads could be fixed as soon as possible. Besides, the roads could be rehabilitated next year to attract votes for the NPP in the 2024 general elections.

The fact speaks for itself! Everyone can check on these roads to ascertain the truth. Similar defects on our roads are all over the country. Anyone can attest to this assertion by simply looking at the bad roads in their communities.