Kweku Ofori Asiamah with the Overlord of Dagbon (background) and some traditional leaders
Minister of Transport and Aviation, Kweku Ofori Asiamah, has assured the Overlord and people of Dagbon that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s second term in office will see him bring more developmental projects to their doorsteps.
One of such developmental projects, he said, is the construction of a DVLA office with modern facilities in Yendi to serve the area as well as other communities nearby.
“Developing the northern parts of Ghana, especially Yendi, remains a top priority of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. That if we are able to put up a very nice DVLA office here, it will as well serve the people of Saboba, Zabzugu, Tatale, Bimbilla, Kpandai, Wulensi and other communities. All of them will come here and transact business. We need to protect the lives of our people,” he noted.
Speaking during a visit to the overlord of Dagbon, Ya Naa Abukari II, in Yendi on Friday, the Minister said the project is part of the President’s vision of taking development to the doorsteps of the people.
He explained that the office would help reduce the trauma that victims of motor accident go through when the motorbike or car in which they travel do not have an insurance.
“If you license your motor and there is an accident, you get an insurance. If you license a car and there is an accident, you will get insurance package. But if you don’t have a DVLA office here to register your motorbike or car, there won’t be any insurance package for you when you get involved in an accident,” he said.
Worrying
Ya Naa Abukari II complained about the increasing indiscipline on roads within the Yendi municipality from drivers and motorists, leading to hikes in the spate of motor accidents. This he attributed to unlicensed drivers and riders in the area.
He said precious lives are lost daily as a result of this, stressing that there is the need to minimize the occurrence if not totally eliminated.
To curb the occurrence, the Overlord of Dagbon assured of his support and commitment in getting the office in place.
“Motorcycles are the most popular means of transportation in northern Ghana, and their accidents are major causes of out-patient attendance and admissions in our hospitals…Safety on our roads is also limited by unlicensed drives and riders. Many riders are unlicensed because they have to travel to Tamale to acquire licence and also to register their vehicles or motorcycles,” he said.
Appeal
The Dagbon overlord also appealed to the government to roll out the Phase III of the Tamale Airport project “to avoid an encounter with serious difficulties upon the completion of the Phase II of the project.” The Phase III project is an expansion of the terminal and some other facilities.
He further appealed to the government to consider the development and upgrade of the Yendi Airstrip to the status of an airport since the area has little or no opportunity for water transport but huge potential for air transport.
Mr Asiamah assured that the Yendi Airstrip project would soon take-off when all the technical challenges are addressed.
“Government can take a decision after the technical experts have completed their work. This is a promise that the President has made to the Overlord of Dagbon that the airstrip that we used to have in Yendi, which was very useful, we will not allow it to go waste. If you look at that zone, we need that facility,” he said.
