The National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP),Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has cautioned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and DRIP Coordinators against the misuse of road equipment supplied under the programme.
Speaking at the opening of a two day orientation and training programme in Abesim, Bono Region, Mr. Vanderpuye described the machines as “a vital national investment” that must be protected at all costs. “These machines are not personal property. They are national assets placed in your care to serve the people. Any misuse or abuse will not be tolerated,” he warned.
He revealed that the newly introduced National Tracking System, designed to monitor the deployment of DRIP machines, had already detected several cases of abuse. “We currently have four cases under investigation in the Volta, Greater Accra, and Northern Regions,” he disclosed. “Two machines in the Volta and Northern Regions have already been demobilised because they were being misused.”
The training, themed “Strengthening DRIP for Sustainable Road Maintenance & National Development”, brought together MMDCEs and DRIP Coordinators from the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regions. It aimed at sharpening technical skills, instilling discipline, and ensuring efficiency in road maintenance operations.
Delivering an address on behalf of the Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, the Bono Regional DRIP Coordinator, Nar-Ire David, emphasised the programme’s role in Ghana’s development agenda. “The sustainability of DRIP depends on how we maintain these machines, allocate resources fairly, keep accurate records, and monitor operations consistently,” he said. “This is not just about roads it’s about accelerating national development.”
Mr. Vanderpuye further explained that the orientation was also intended to reshape the attitudes of officers managing the equipment. “We want to reset the minds, attitudes, and behaviour of our Coordinators. If you see this equipment as just another government project, you will fail. But if you see it as a sacred trust for national development, then we can succeed,” he stressed.
Some MMDCEs at the training praised the initiative. The Dormaa Central MCE, Dominic Adomah, described the orientation as timely, adding: “This training is a wake-up call. We must uphold discipline and ensure these machines serve their intended purpose of improving the lives of our people.”
In February this year, President John Dramani Mahama appointed Mr. Vanderpuye, a former MP for Odododiodoo, as the National Coordinator of DRIP. The programme was originally launched on July 31, 2024 by then President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with the commissioning of 2,240 units of road construction equipment. The fleet includes motor graders, rollers, bulldozers, wheel loaders, tipper trucks, concrete mixers, water tankers, and lowbed trucks much of which was assembled locally in partnership with the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, creating over 2,000 jobs.
DRIP was designed to empower MMDAs to rehabilitate and maintain roads within their jurisdictions under the supervision of a four member committee at each assembly to ensure accountability. With this latest training, government hopes to reinforce discipline, transparency, and sustainable management of the machines to maximise their impact on Ghana’s road network.
Report by Daniel Donkor
