The Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to revisit and renegotiate the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), citing financial concerns over its execution.

Speaking during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Friday, January 31, Ablakwa raised serious concerns about the cost of the initiative, stating, “This project, which was launched in August last year, has been inflated by more than $100 million.”

The DRIP initiative was introduced to improve road infrastructure across Ghana’s districts, providing much-needed support for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) through the acquisition of modern equipment and training for technical personnel.

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However, the financial handling of the project has come under scrutiny, with Ablakwa warning that Ghana stands to lose significant resources if immediate action is not taken.

“We cannot ignore the inefficiencies that have plagued this project. If we do not take a second look at it, Ghana will lose significant resources,” he cautioned.

Ablakwa emphasized that the situation remains salvageable, noting that only a portion of the project cost has been settled.

“Fortunately, only 25 percent has been paid and not all the liabilities have been met, so I have encouraged the new Mahama administration to renegotiate the DRIP initiative so that we can save money because my conservative estimate is that it has been inflated by more than $100 million.”

“There is still an opportunity for the government to step in and ensure that we do not continue on this financially reckless path,” he asserted.

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