NDC Lawyer Dares Minister

A PUBLIC interest lawyer has threatened to drag the Minister of Roads and Highways to court if massive improvement is not seen on the Apedwa portion of the Accra-Kumasi main road in the coming days. Sam Pee Yalley, a leading member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) says he is prepared to engage Joe Gidisu in a legal tussle if the ministry fails to employ drastic measures to improve the Apedwa portion of the Accra-Kumasi road. Speaking to Kessben Fm in Kumasi, the Accra based legal practitioner said he could not understand why the populace must suffer so much because of the road. Mr. Yalley emphasized that it was the responsibility of the Ministry of Roads and Highways to ensure that travelers and drivers won�t suffer whilst the construction is in progress. In view of this, he pointed out that the ministry ought to have provided an alternate route to ensure that people can travel in comfort. He noted that he would first write to the minister saying that it was not right for his ministry to sit by unconcerned while road users continued to suffer and therefore he was required to rectify the situation. He indicated that he would seek redress in court if the minister failed to respond appropriately to his concerns to set an example for others to follow. Mr. Yalley noted that it was high time the masses kept people entrusted with the mandate to serve on their toes through advocacy and legal channels to ensure that they perform better. The Accra-Kumasi road was reconstructed by the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) government under the headship of ex-President J.A Kufuor but the administration could not complete the Apedwa portion of the road before it left office in 2008. Upon assumption of office, it was expected that the current government would complete that portion of the road but up till now it is still incomplete. The hopes of many that government would finish up the project were dashed when Minister of Finance, Dr Kwabena Duffuor disclosed in Kumasi recently that the government does not have the money to complete the road. Due to the bad condition of the road, commuters and drivers have to endure a bumpy ride and unnecessary delays when traveling to and from Accra to Kumasi. Transport owners have also complained about the extensive damage and the high cost they incurred in repairing such damages.