RE: DABOYA TOWNSHIP AND ISSUES AROUND IT.
- 2023.
Dear Nuhu Zulqa, I have read with admiration and respect a piece authored by your good self. You have spoken the minds of many citizens of North Gonja within and without, thank you for your powerful voice.
On behalf of the District Chief Executive, Hon Adam Eliasu Red Bawa I thank you so much for the thought-provoking piece. The opinion and intent of the write-up sit very well at the center of the DCEs developmental agenda for the District.
I will encourage you to keep it up as this is just part 1 according to your piece, we all agree development should be seen as a collective effort with leadership at the forefront.
The highlight of your part 1 is the state of the Daboya everyday market, Daboya township roads, and proper street addressing system.
DABOYA MARKET;
In May, 2019. Hon Adam Eliasu took a bold decision in pursuit of his pledge to change the face of Daboya township and that of the District at large. The local economy was strengthened with the construction of Market Stalls in Tari 1 and Tari 2 respectively. The idea of Daboya ‘Daily Market’ received aggressive resistance from a section of the public, the DCE had appeared in the Wasipe Palace to offer some explanations as part of opposition from some youth who reported the project to the Traditional Authority.
The capital-intensive Daboya Daily Market project finally took off with construction of stalls, reshaping, graveling and lighting. Now here is the thing; phase 2 of the Market project is way beyond the threshold of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) due to it’s capital-intensive nature as stated earlier.
What the DCE did was to write officially to the Ghana Highways Authority to vary the 52km Daboya – Busunu Road to include constructing the Daboya Daily Market by Logistics Support Services Limited, the varying of the 75km Daboya – Mankarigu – Mempeasem Road to include constructing the Mankarigu Market by Myturn Company Limited and that of the Lingbinsi Market by Limerica Ghana Limited. All three Markets have been factored into those road projects awaiting execution.
It’s important to note, that buying and selling was done on the shoulders of the road and in open unhygienic spaces in Daboya. The construction of the market though not completed yet has remarkably improve the local economy and brought about decency as well.
However, coupled with the ongoing construction of the Daboya Township drainage system as part of the township roads project, the place gets flooded each time there is a downpour. The Daboya Township is topographically flood prone soil as well making it worse during the rainy seasons.
DABOYA TOWNSHIP ROADS;
On the 21st of June this year a few days ago, i reported about some red flags being raised by the youth of Daboya about the ongoing construction of a 5km township road project. In the report, I indicated how the youth earlier threatened a peaceful demonstration to draw the attention of authorities to fix anomalies relating to the construction.
The intervention of the DCE brought about a visit by the Savannah Regional Urban Roads Director to inspect the reported defect and met the Youth as well in Daboya. The completion of this project will bring permanent relief against the negative effects of the perennial township floods.
STREET ADDRESSING SYSTEM;
As part of the master plan in the township road project, 1km each from the Mankarigu, White Volta, Busunu and Polyclinic sides of the town will be constructed. I can say with certainty that once this is done, a lot of the concerns will be addressed and both citizens – visitors will find the excitement in entering Daboya township.
CONCLUSION;
The North Gonja is relatively a young District, development certainly is not an event; it takes time and procedure. Our developmental needs are insatiable compared to the meager capacity and resourcefulness of the District. We have made significant progress in all facets.
Development activities undertaken by the Assembly is largely dependent on the quantum of its financial resources.
The major sources of revenue are basically from internal and external sources which include, Internally Generated Funds (IGF), District Assembly Common Fund (Act 455), Special Central grants (DDF, GETFund etc) and Central Government direct support.
The obvious devastation of Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine impasse has affected government finances which slowed down the execution of Central Government projects and programs. The District is also lagging far behind in accruing the needed funds from IGF to undertake major self-initiatives. Nonetheless, Hon Red Bawa will continue to turn up for his people in every regard.
God Bless North Gonja, And Make Us Great; And Strong.
Ridwan Afeso Abubakari
(Aide/PRO To Hon Adam Eliasu – DCE NGDA).
