The DRIP equipment and our maintenance culture
The recent observation by the National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, during an inspection tour of the Ashanti Region stirred concerns that need immediate corrective action.
His remarks on the poor maintenance culture surrounding heavy-duty construction machinery and the lack of appropriate infrastructure to safeguard them show a serious lapse in the country's local governance and development systems.
These pieces of equipment are not mere tools sitting idle in district yards — they are vital national assets acquired to transform the country’s road infrastructure at the district level.
The District Road Improvement Programme, a flagship intervention by the government, was conceived to address the long-standing challenges of inadequate and poor quality roads in many parts of the country.
At its core is a vision to decentralise road construction and maintenance by empowering the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) with equipment and resources.
It is thus deeply troubling that over 2,200 units of this machinery — motor graders, bulldozers, rollers, wheel loaders, water tankers, concrete mixers, among others — procured through national funding and distributed across the 261 MMDAs, are not being maintained as expected.
The failure by some assemblies to construct basic sheds or garages to protect these machinery from the vagaries of the weather and possible tampering by unscrupulous elements is not just administrative neglect; it is an abuse of public trust and a waste of valuable national resources.
Mr Vanderpuye’s comments were not made in a vacuum.
They were the result of an ongoing nationwide inspection jointly undertaken by DRIP officials and their technical partners, including J.A. Plant Pool Ghana Ltd.
The findings from the Obuasi East and Obuasi West municipal assemblies are likely to be representative of a broader trend across the country — equipment rusting in open fields, components damaged by sun and rain, and a general lack of accountability regarding their upkeep.
The implications of this are far-reaching. Beyond the financial loss from damaged machinery, the neglect undermines the entire objective of the DRIP initiative: to bring development to the doorstep of local communities through better roads, improved access to services and job creation.
That potential is now at risk if the very tools meant to drive the initiative are allowed to fall into disrepair.
It is against this backdrop that the Daily Graphic issues a strong call to all MMDAs to take immediate steps to construct proper storage facilities for the equipment and implement strict maintenance schedules.
We do not think these facilities should necessarily be elaborate; even a well-designed shed can extend the lifespan of the machinery and ensure readiness when work must commence.
Assemblies must allocate a portion of their District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) specifically for this purpose.
Protecting the investments is as important as deploying them.
Moreover, the central government must enforce strict compliance.
We urge the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, in collaboration with the DRIP Secretariat, to establish a deadline — preferably within the next six months — by which all assemblies must have met minimum maintenance and storage standards.
Assemblies that fail to comply should face sanctions, including the withdrawal of equipment to be reassigned to responsible jurisdictions.
National development cannot thrive in an atmosphere of lax responsibility.
Assemblies were not merely handed these machines; they were entrusted with them on behalf of the people.
With that trust comes the duty to preserve and utilise the resources for the public good.
The inspection currently underway must be sustained and extended to all regions.
Furthermore, its findings should be published in an accessible and transparent manner.
Assemblies that are doing well should be commended, while those that fall short must be named and made to take corrective actions.
Only through such transparency and accountability can we foster a culture of responsible public resource management.
The DRIP initiative is indeed a testament to what can be achieved when the central government partners meaningfully with local authorities.
But for this vision to be realised, local leadership must sit up.
The protection and maintenance of the machines must not be an afterthought—it must be seen as integral to the success of the entire programme.
