- The National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has warned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) against renting or diverting DRIP machines for unauthorized use.
- Speaking through Bono Regional Minister Joseph Addae Akwaboa, he emphasized that the equipment must be used strictly for road improvement. Investigations are underway into four cases of misuse, with two machines already immobilized.
- Assemblies found breaching the directive will face sanctions.
The government is tightening its grip on the management of road construction equipment under the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), warning local assemblies to steer clear of unauthorized use.
At a two-day orientation for DRIP coordinators from Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regions, officials made it clear that the machines — including graders, bulldozers, tipper trucks, and concrete mixers — are national assets meant solely for road improvement. Any attempt to rent them out or divert them for unrelated projects will attract strict sanctions.
The directive was delivered on behalf of DRIP National Coordinator Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye by Bono Regional Minister Joseph Addae Akwaboa, who emphasized the importance of discipline and accountability in managing the equipment.
Already, the DRIP Secretariat is investigating four cases of suspected misuse in the Greater Accra, Northern, and Volta Regions. Two machines have been immobilized using the national tracking system, which monitors movement and usage in real time.
Dormaa Central Municipal Chief Executive Dominic Adomah also weighed in, urging assemblies to uphold the integrity of the programme. He stressed that proper management of the equipment could transform districts and improve livelihoods.
With Ghana’s road infrastructure still lagging in many areas — including the Ziavi–Anfoeta stretch in the Volta Region, where poor conditions are threatening food security — the stakes are high. DRIP’s success depends not just on machinery, but on the commitment of local authorities to use it wisely.
