The Founding President of IMANI Africa, a policy think tank, Franklin Cudjoe has called on Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to direct attention to the pressing infrastructure needs of the people in the Sankrofi, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) in the Oti Region.

The IMANI Africa Founding President reacting to the government’s plans to construct 100 Astro Turfs, urged the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to reconsider the allocation of resources for the construction of the Astro Turfs and channeled it into the construction of road infrastructure within the Santrofi, Lolobi and Likpe communities.

Mr Cudjoe in a Facebook post on Tuesday, January 16 2024 expressed concern over the neglect of the people in Santrofi, Lolobi and Likpe popularly known as SALL, emphasizing the deteriorating road conditions that have rendered these communities completely inaccessible.

“Dear Dr Bawumia, I see you are leading the government to build 100 Astro Turfs this year. Okay, you know how my SALL people were treated. We have become orphans with very bad roads. If SALL is part of the beneficiaries, may l suggest we exchange Astro Turf for roads?”
Franklin Cudjoe

Mr Franklin Cudjoe further noted that the road in question is riddled with gorges, making it impassable and a significant obstacle to the daily lives of the residents.

The President of IMANI Africa thus stressed the need for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to divert resources to address the critical road infrastructure needs within the Santrofi, Lolobi and Likpe areas starting with the Hohoe-Lolobi-Ashambi-Kumasi route.

According to Mr Cudjoe, the Hohoe-Lolobi-Ashambi-Kumasi road is very crucial in the lives of the people within the Santrofi, Lolobi and Likpe area and several travelers as it serves as an alternate major route in the Eastern Corridor part of the country.

He indicated that the strategic importance of the road underlines the urgent need for the government to address its current state to ensure smooth transportation and connectivity for the residents of Santrofi, Lolobi and Likpe area and beyond.

Call For Rationalization Of Government Expenditure

Moreover, the Founding President of the IMANI Policy Think Tank, Franklin Cudjoe in in his statement called for a rationalization of government spending, suggesting that excess funds resulting from the government ability to reduce cost could be reallocated to fix the deteriorating road within Santrofi, Lolobi and Likpe area in the Oti Region .

Mr Cudjoe emphasized the need for the government to redirect resources from non-essential projects to critical infrastructure that would better serve the immediate needs of some remote communities in the country such as the Santrofi, Lolobi and Likpe.

Meanwhile Professor Ransford Van Gyampo, the President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) Chapter at the University of Ghana, has cautioned the incoming government against displaying opulence while urging austerity measures on the general public.

Professor Van Gyampo highlighted a critical concern regarding the disparity between the government’s opulent living and the austerity measures imposed on the general public, particularly the labor force.

The Political Scientist particularly raised questions about the size of the incoming government and inquired whether there were plans to downsize the government.

He expressed the hope that the next government would avoid a scenario where labor is repeatedly urged to tighten their belts while government officials live in opulence.

“So what is going to be the size of the government? Are they going to be selling vehicles that may be bequeathed to them by the current administration? I mean, if some of these things are done, we will not get the support from labour.”
Professor Ransford Van Gyampo

Professor Gyampo emphasized that the level of support from the labor force would be contingent on the government’s actions, especially in terms of addressing concerns related to opulence and austerity.

He hinted that failing to address these issues could result in diminished support from the labor sector.