Enough of the Empty Sod Cutting Ceremonies — Let the Wa-Han-Tumu Road Be Constructed at Last!

Since 1992, politicians from both the NDC and the NPP have made a ritual of cutting sods for the so-called construction of the Wa-Han-Tumu road, a project that has remained a phantom for more than three decades. Each government comes with renewed promises, stirring false hope among the people of the Upper West Region. Yet, after the speeches fade and the cameras leave, the road remains the same: dusty, giddy, broken, and deadly.

The recent sod cutting by His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama, is nothing new. It is another act in a long political theatre where the only thing that changes is the face holding the shovel. These politicians have perfected the art of deception, promising heaven and delivering nothing. They are, in truth, the best of nothing but snollygosters, clever, self-serving politicians who act not for the people, but for their own political gain.

We have seen too many of these ceremonies that bring no progress, no transformation, and no relief to our suffering people. What the Upper West Region needs is not another sod cutting, but action, machines on the ground, workers sweating in the sun, and visible results that improve lives. Until then, we have no reason to celebrate. This very road has been “awarded” several times, yet nothing tangible has ever happened. Let this sod cutting be the last.

Anyone who has travelled the Wa-Han-Tumu road knows the pain it inflicts. Vehicles sink into deep potholes, passengers endure endless hours of misery, and drivers spend more on repairs than they earn. Traders watch helplessly as their goods rot because transporters refuse to risk their vehicles on the treacherous stretch. The losses are unbearable, and the economic cost to the region is devastating. Many have lost their entire life savings on that road. And for how long will sods be cut without real work beginning?

Worse still, the road’s deplorable state has made it a corridor of fear. Bandits exploit their loneliness to attack innocent travellers. Many have lost their lives, others their property, all because successive governments have failed to fix what should have been done decades ago.

The people of the Upper West Region have been patient for too long. But patience has its limits. The NDC, in particular, must take note. This region has stood by the party through thick and thin, but continued neglect will only breed resentment and disillusionment. Loyalty must never be mistaken for weakness.

We have had enough of déjà vu sod cuttings that end in dust and disappointment. Even more insulting is the fact that our own sons and daughters have served as ministers for Roads and Highways, yet nothing significant has been done to change this painful reality. What then is the essence of having “our people” in power if they cannot transform the very roads that connect us to progress?

It is not too much to ask that our roads be motorable, that traders can transport goods without fear, and that lives are no longer lost because of negligence. The people of the Upper West deserve better.

So, before anyone celebrates another sod cutting, let us wait to see bulldozers on the ground, bridges repaired, and tar laid. Until that happens, the chronic sod cutting for the construction of the Wa-Han-Tumu road must end — now.

The people of the Upper West Region are watching!

FAB’s Gist.