Residents with structures along the Tumu-Leo road corridor in the Sissala East Municipality of Ghana's Upper West Region have been given a two-week ultimatum to vacate the area. This directive was issued during a meeting involving Tumu landlords, traditional authorities, affected residents, and the Member of Parliament for Sissala East, Issah Mohammed Bataglia. The ultimatum is to pave the way for the expansion and construction of inner roads in Tumu, particularly the Tumu-Leo road.
The exercise is expected to affect owners of houses, kiosks, Ghana Commercial Bank PLC, VRA, containers, and other structures located within the road reservation. According to Godfred Baveru Kanton, secretary of Tumu Landlord, the road reservation has existed for over 80 years and has historically been recognized as an international route. He urged all persons who have encroached on the road corridor to prepare to relocate.
Baveru Kanton emphasized that within two weeks, demolition of encroaching structures will begin. He particularly appealed to owners of kiosks and container shops to start dismantling their structures and salvage reusable materials before the demolition exercise begins. The traditional authority also cautioned local political actors against interfering with the process, stressing that the road project is crucial for Tumu's future development.
The Member of Parliament for Sissala East, Issah Mohammed Bataglia, stated that the engagement aimed to foster cooperation between affected residents and stakeholders to ensure the road project's successful implementation. He acknowledged that the demolition exercise could be painful for some residents but noted that the broader economic benefits of opening up the area should also be considered.
Bataglia mentioned that improved road connectivity, particularly towards the Burkina Faso border, could unlock new opportunities in trade, transportation, and employment. He added that the project could create opportunities for young people to venture into transportation and other businesses. According to him, opening up the road towards Burkina Faso will open cargo traffic towards that area, giving young people jobs.
The Tumu landlords and traditional authorities have expressed strong support for the road development programme, describing it as an important intervention to open up the Sissala area and stimulate economic activity. The traditional authority has also appealed to the government and the Roads Ministry to consider its preferred contractor, Mawums Construction Limited, for the Tumu road works, citing its previous capacity to execute road projects in the area.
The development forms part of broader efforts to improve road connectivity in the Sissala East Municipality and strengthen links towards the Burkina Faso border. Affected residents along the Tumu-Leo stretch now have to make urgent decisions about their properties and businesses as preparations begin for the road works. The Member of Parliament assured that interventions would be considered to lessen the burden on affected residents.
Key points
- Tumu landlords give 2-week ultimatum to encroachers along Tumu-Leo road to vacate for road construction
- The road project aims to improve connectivity and stimulate economic activity in the Sissala East Municipality
- Affected residents face a two-week deadline to vacate the area before demolition begins
