DEPOLARABLE STATE OF KUSAWGU-TULUWE ROAD AFFECTING ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

DEPOLARABLE STATE OF KUSAWGU-TULUWE ROAD AFFECTING ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

The deplorable state of roads leading to communities within Kusawgu and Tuluwe traditional areas of the Central Gonja District of the Northern Region is affecting economic activities in the area.

The present condition of the roads do not only pose a challenge to trading and economic activities for the people in the area, but are also a death-trap for drivers and traders who ply the roads on daily basis.

The ‘unmotorable’ state of the Kusawgu-Kuluwe road has resulted in several losses as a result of the difficulties and challenges traders and farmers, who are the worst affected, go through to transport food produce and goods to surrounding market centres.This development often leaves farmers and traders cash-strapped and hopeless -- compelling many of them to question whether that area in the district is indeed part of the country.

The increasing post-harvest losses being recorded by farmers in the area is of a great concern because the surrounding villages go through a lot of difficulties to attend to their food crops during the course of the farming season, only to be confronted with the challenge of how to transport the harvested food items to market considering the state of their roads.

In most cases, due to the absence of vehicles to convey the food items to the markets and silos to store them, the food produce either has to be sold at cheap prices or left go bad in anticipation that a vehicle might not come for them.
The few vehicles that risk to go to communities in the area in the raining season to carry food items to surrounding market centres are seen stuck in muddy parts of the road - leaving many of the traders in fear that their goods may go bad.

Some communities in the Tuluwe traditional area like Belbong and Npotoso are always cut off from other communities whenever it rains heavily. This unfortunately often leads to post-harvest losses due to the inability of farmers and traders to get access to the marketing centres.

I therefore wish to appeal to authorities in the Central Gonja District to help address the situation that has rendered many people in the area poor. The district assembly, member of parliament for the area, assembly members within the area, Kusawguwura, Tuluwewura, other sub-chiefs in the area as well as NGOs are kindly called upon to as a mtter of urgency come to the aid of the people in these traditional areas as they risk losing their source of livelihood.

Written By:
SULEMANA ISHAWU
RURAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVIST
(0543199250)