A Development Activist based on Wa, Upper West Region has expressed concern over the alarming rate at which major roads are being used as construction sites, he expressed concern about the rate at which heaps of sand are left on roads in Town, a practice he said causes road accidents.

Statement by Wahid Husien

WA IS BEING KILLED BY INDISCIPLINE BUT OUR LEADERS SEEM TO BE SILENT ABOUT IT. 

Upper West Region, we need to wake up as a people. I mean fellow “Upper Westerners,” please open your eyes.

In fact our town is being choked. If you want go to any new area in Wa today. House on house. No space. No 10 feet setback. We are just building like there will be no tomorrow.

The cost of this indiscipline is already showing. When there’s fire, Fire Service trucks can’t enter. When someone is sick, ambulances can’t reach them. Because we refused to leave 10 feet. When the rains come, there’s no drainage. Water enters rooms and destroys properties because houses are glued together. And mark my words, soon you will have to park your car at a far distance and walk home. Because of our indiscipline style of building without proper lay out.

The most appalling part is, some people are building on major roads. Why? Because our Assembly and Town & Country Planning failed to demarcate prior to these unauthorized building. Now government road projects have to sit abandoned for years. Billions of taxpayers’ money wasted. All because “someone’s house” is sitting on the road line.

The hard truth is that our authorities have failed us. Yes, let’s not lie. And to the best of my knowledge. Before you build, you must apply to Town & Country Planning. They are supposed to inspect. Surveyors must check. Land Commission must verify. So how are illegal buildings still going up? How are people building on road reserves and not being stopped? If you ask me, i think there’s something fishy. It means the system is broken. Or the people in charge are not doing their work.

To our Regional Ministers, MCEs, and Leaders: This is on you. 
Take off the political colors. Do away with nepotism. Put competent people in office based on merits, not party or family. Enforce the law. Demolish illegal structures. Demarcate all roads. Educate the people to better understand why there’s the need to do the right thing.

Look, our youth are being wasted. 
While we fight over land, our biggest resource is dying. Youth unemployment in Upper West is alarming. Dreams deferred. Hope lost. No support. No mentorship. No opportunities. It’s just survival of the fittest out here. To some extent we are not lazy. Just that the system has failed us and all we need is leadership that plans for us.

So this is our plea to Leaders of Upper West, put politics aside. Come together for one thing. That is The development of our region.  Apparently we’re lacking behind as compared to other Regions. Do what is right, not what is popular. Enforce planning laws. Open the roads. Create jobs. Give the youth hope again.

And to us the citizens, let’s know our rights. Let’s know the job, functions and mandate of these government departments. They cannot keep infringing on us because we are silent. Or perhaps have given them reasons to notice our ignorance and using it against us.

To not speak further, If we don’t fix Wa or Upper West today, our children will curse us tomorrow and there’s no two way thing about this. So please share this post until it gets to our various authorities and to the Upper West Regional Leadership.

Shallom!

[Watch Video]

By: Wahid Husien – Development Activist