The Volta Regional Minister (VRM), Dr Archibald Letsa, has expressed concern about non-functioning of sub-structures at the various Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the region and has, therefore, directed the assemblies to ensure that the sub-structures become operational to the benefit of the people.
Dr Letsa explained that the importance of local government was to bring governance closer to the people, to enable them to contribute meaningfully to local governance, saying without the effective functioning of the sub-structures, local government would be meaningless to the people.
The Volta Regional Minister, who was addressing the 2023 first meeting of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) in Ho, said it was clear that not all persons in their respective municipalities or districts could afford to visit the assemblies on issues bothering development, therefore, the sub-structures with adequate staff would promote local government administration.
Dr Letsa asked MDAs to, as a matter of importance, decongest their staff and post them to the various sub-structures, where they could serve the people better and make local governance more attractive and more participatory.
Dr Letsa announced that despite the economic challenges the country faced as a result of COVID-19 and the Ukraine and Russian war, which derailed government’s efforts at ensuring that a number of roads were attended to, the Peki-Have section of the Eastern corridor road had seen one lane completed as work on the second lane would start soon.
He also explained that work on the Sokode-Ho dual carriage road was almost complete, saying asphaltic overlay works had been completed, traffic signposts erected, pavement blocks for pedestrian walkways being laid and outstanding works including surface direction sign markings around Goil in Ho, erection of traffic light at PWD and Y-junction, tarring of link roads as well as public education on the use of the road.
According to the Minister, the Ho-Denu highway saw the completion of engineering work on the road and a report submitted to the Ministry of Roads and Highways and hoped that funding would be secured for the award of contract for the construction of the road.
Dr Letsa said even though the region has been peaceful , there were reported cases of 10 murder cases, 8 robbery, 8 rape cases, 25 defilement cases, 4 narcotics related cases and 2 incest cases from January to June 2023, which were all being investigated by the police.
