The landlord and sectional heads of Tumu in the Sissala East Municipality have given owners of structures along some roads in Tumu a two-week ultimatum to relocate. This directive affects buildings and stores located along the Tumu roundabout towards the Loe Road, where construction is expected to begin soon. The initiative aims to improve cross-border transportation of goods and services between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
The ultimatum was issued by Baba Tommy Kanton, the Landlord, during a meeting with the affected people. He commended President John Mahama and the Member of Parliament for Sissala East, Isaah Mohammed Bataglia, for including the Tumu-Burkina Faso road in the government's road infrastructure programme. Kanton also praised Mawums Construction Limited for its good work and appealed to the government to award the remaining town road projects to the company.
Baba Kanton emphasized that his intervention is for the development of the area and not for votes, as he is not a politician. He cautioned the MP and other government officials against interfering with the contractor's work, as political intervention could be motivated by attempts to win favour with residents. Kanton acknowledged that some affected residents might plead for more time but urged them not to do so.
The MP for Sissala East, Isaah Mohammed Bataglia, assured affected people that the road project would proceed in accordance with the landlord's directive. He acknowledged the difficulties associated with the relocation exercise but said the broader development needs of the municipality had to be considered. Bataglia also promised to work closely with the contractor to minimise the impact of the exercise on residents.
Alhaji YY, one of the affected residents, appealed to the landlord to consider granting residents an additional three days if they were unable to vacate within the stipulated two-week period. He said though the residents were unhappy about losing parts of their properties, they supported the landlord's vision of developing the area. Alhaji YY mentioned that he was born in one of the affected houses, which is more than 70 years old.
The road construction project is expected to improve the transportation of goods and services between Ghana and Burkina Faso. The project is part of the government's road infrastructure programme, which aims to enhance economic development in the region. Residents are expected to relocate within the two-week ultimatum to pave the way for the construction.
The landlord's directive has been met with mixed reactions from residents, with some expressing support for the development project and others expressing concerns about losing their properties. The government has assured residents that it will work to minimise the impact of the exercise on them. The project is expected to be completed by Mawums Construction Limited, which has been praised for its good work.
Key points
- The Tumu landlord has given road encroachers a 2-week ultimatum to relocate for road construction.
- The road project aims to improve cross-border transportation of goods and services between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
- The project is part of the government's road infrastructure programme.
