Upper West MPs Get a Glimpse of Hope: Will Improved Roads End Robberies?

By Culture Gossip! • August 22, 2026 • 3 min read

The Upper West Parliamentary Caucus, led by its leader, Daffiama-Bussie-Issa MP Dr Sebastian Sandaare, has inspected ongoing works on the N12 Bole-Sawla-Wa highway as part of a tour of projects under the government's Big Push programme. The delegation, joined by Upper West Regional Minister Charles Lwanga Puozuing and the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), visited sections of the highway at Tuna, Kulmasa, and Gindabuo to assess progress and the security conditions for contractors working on the project.

Road to Progress

The inspection showed ongoing road clearing, drainage works, repairs to damaged sections, and asphalt works. Speaking during a whistle-stop at Tuna, Regional Minister Charles Lwanga Puozuing said the level of activity on the project contradicted reports that little or no work was being done. "It is not as we have been hearing that there is no work being done. So far, we are impressed," he said.

Employment and Security

For Wa West MP and former police officer Supt. (Rtd) Peter Lanchene Toobu, the project demonstrates the connection between road infrastructure, employment, and security. He said President John Dramani Mahama's promise to turn Ghana into a construction site had initially appeared ambitious to some, but the Big Push programme was now making that vision visible. "When His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama made an emphatic statement that he was going to turn Ghana into a construction site, some of us thought he was joking. But with the Big Push, Ghana has actually become a construction site. I am a beneficiary of the Big Push budget," Mr Toobu said.

Local Concerns

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. "Being an agricultural area, my emphasis is that some of these gravel pits being created should be converted to dugouts that can impound water for our animals to survive the long dry seasons. This will solve another problem – a low-hanging fruit dividend," he said. Dr Jasaw 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.

Monitoring Progress

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. He said the Caucus would continue to monitor the project on behalf of residents, with a final visit scheduled for the last quarter of 2026.

Road to Development

The N12 remains affected by potholes and other sections that slow traffic. However, the ongoing works, including night operations supported by REGSEC security arrangements, are expected to improve the road and reduce travel times when completed. The project, which is scheduled for completion in 2028, is currently about four percent complete, with the contractor expressing optimism about completing it ahead of schedule. As the project nears completion, residents and local leaders are holding their breath, hoping that improved roads will bring an end to robberies and boost economic development in the region.

Source: Joy Online