Naa Puowele Karbo III, the Paramount Chief of Lawra Traditional Area, has called for the construction of the Dikpe Bridge across the Black Volta in the Lawra Municipality to facilitate the movement of goods and services.
The construction of the Dikpe Bridge, linking Lawra to Burkina Faso, is seen as a crucial step to enhance ECOWAS cooperation between Ghana and Burkina Faso. This bridge is expected to be a catalyst for the development of the Lawra Municipality.
Naa Karbo raised this appeal during the culmination of the Kobine Festival celebrated by the chiefs and people of Lawra.
Despite the bridge's significance to the Upper West Region and its anticipated benefits, there has been no progress toward its construction.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had inaugurated the project by cutting the sod on October 10, 2020, just prior to the general elections.
The contract was awarded to Messrs Griner Engineering Ltd, with a budget of €26,458,521.34, and was originally slated for completion within 24 months. However, three years later, construction is yet to commence.
Both the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Lawra, Mr. Anthony Karbo, and the incumbent MP, Mr. Bede Ziedeng, expressed disappointment regarding the lack of progress on the bridge construction. Ziedeng, in particular, highlighted the nearly 36-month delay without any sign of work commencement.
Naa Karbo, who also serves as the Vice President of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, raised concerns about other stalled projects in the area, including a TVET institution at Tuma, a Girls Senior High School project at Zambo, the Lawra SHS Assembly Hall, and the Municipal Hospital upgrading.
He also expressed confusion regarding the delay in the emergency ward project at the Lawra Municipal Hospital, which falls under the Northern Development Authority.
Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, representing President Akufo-Addo at the festival, charged MP Bede Ziedeng to inquire about the delayed bridge construction during parliamentary sessions.