The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, has assured that the Western Regional Coordinating Council will closely monitor the effective utilisation of equipment under the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).

Speaking at the orientation programme for District Coordinators in the Western, Western North, and Central regions, held in Takoradi, Mr Nelson emphasised the importance of roads in connecting communities, facilitating trade, and supporting social interaction.

He noted that the poor state of many roads in the region hampers development and underscored the need for strong collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the success of DRIP.

The Minister proposed that DRIP be used as a platform to train machine operators and technicians under the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) model.

This, he explained, would not only provide local-level expertise to sustain the programme but also create thousands of jobs for the youth.

He urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and Members of Parliament (MPs) to work closely together to maximise the programme’s benefits for communities.

Expressing gratitude to the National DRIP Coordinator and his team for choosing the Western Region to host the orientation, Hon. Nelson encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained in their districts.

He noted that working together would strengthen DRIP and make road networks more sustainable and supportive of national development.

The National DRIP Coordinator, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, cautioned District Coordinators, especially those in illegal mining areas, against using the equipment for personal gain.

He stressed that the government had invested heavily in purchasing the equipment and warned that anyone caught misusing it would face strict sanctions.

Several MMDCEs and MPs, including Alhassan Ibrahim (Wassa East), Sophia Aubyn (Mpohor-Fiase), Benedict Boadi (Jomoro), Peter Amponsah (Wassa Amenfi Central), Naana Ackom (Gomoa East), Hackman Kobina Aidoo (Gomoa Central), Frederick F. Faidoo, Esq. (STME), and Ismaeel Nana Asamoah (Ekumfi), participated in the two-day programme and pledged their support to ensure DRIP’s effective operations in their districts.

The orientation, themed “Strengthening DRIP for Sustainable Road Maintenance and National Development,” aimed to build capacity, share knowledge, and align national strategic goals with decentralised road improvement strategies.

With the support of regional leaders, the Western Region is poised to make significant strides in road development and maintenance, ultimately contributing to national growth.