The Western Regional Coordinator for the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), George Bamfo, has caused the arrest of some operators of earth-moving equipment assigned to the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.
According to George Bamfo, these operators were using the equipment for an unauthorized operation.
Two tipper trucks and a payloader were found operating at a construction site for the Latter Day Saints Church in Sofokrom, a peri-urban community in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.
The Regional DRIP Coordinator told Connect FM’s Abraham Mensah that he had earlier cautioned the Urban Roads Engineer, Mike Dzisi, over the unauthorized use of this equipment some weeks ago. According to him, Mr. Dzisi claimed the equipment was being used for some drain works; a statement he considered to be contradictory to the facts observed.
“I questioned him [the Urban Roads Engineer] about that operation, and what he said was that his ‘boys’ were responsible for that, so he would order them to stop. Today, they have released two trucks and a payloader to cart clay to fill a construction site belonging to the Latter Day Saints church. So I resolved to take action before things get out of hand.
“The equipment is not meant for such activities. Go to Anoe, Ehyiem, Kansaworodo, Mampong and its environs; all their roads are bad…that is what this equipment is to be used for,” he emphasized.
He thus finds it unpardonable for the Urban Roads Engineer to disregard his orders after the first complaint. George Bamfo laments that the equipment is deployed without proper authorization and records.
“The engineers have no regard for due process,” he said.
He clarified that in the absence of district coordinators, all approvals for the use of any equipment at the district level are to be taken through his office.
“…because we don’t have district coordinators, all requests and approvals are to be taken through my office. Monthly reports are expected to be filed with my office for onward processing to the national directorate,” Mr Bamfo said.
He added that a directive has already been issued restricting the use of the DRIP machinery except for emergency cases due to an unresolved maintenance issue.
The Urban Roads Engineer, Mike Dzisi, responding to the allegations, said the Metropolitan Chief Executive was informed about the use of the said equipment at the construction site. He preferred not to comment further as the matter is already before the police.
