The Eastern Region has received its share of the District Road Network Improvement Programme (DRIP), an initiative designed to facilitate and improve connectivity and access to essential services in rural communities. The programme, which targets the Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), also aims to address the pressing need for road maintenance and construction equipment. Heavy-duty equipment, including motor graders, bulldozers, backhoes, tipper trucks, concrete mixers, and rollers, was handed over to all 33 municipalities and districts (MDAs) in the eastern region. At a ceremony in Koforidua, Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister, who handed over the DRIP equipment, lauded the programme and echoed that it was designed to foster sustainable improvements that would enhance connectivity and spur economic growth. He described roads as the lifeblood of communities, linking towns and villages, facilitating the improvement of goods and services, and vital to economic and social development. He noted that the heavy-duty equipment would empower the local assemblies to maintain and improve the road network within their respective jurisdictions. 'This would go a long way to ensure that our roads are safer, more accessible and more reliable regardless of the season,' he said. He stated the success of DRIP depended largely on 'our collective commitment to proper planning, diligent commitment to proper planning, diligent maintenance and accountability in the use of these machines,' adding, 'I believe that we will rise to the occasion in this regard.' In addition to deploying the machines, operators of the equipment and drivers from the various municipalities and districts gathered at Koforidua for a two-day intensive training session to gain a deeper understanding of their operation and handling. Ms. Sophia Kudjordji, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Jospong Group of Companies, said JA Plant Pool Ghana Limited, the service provider would use tracking and telematic device s for real-time monitoring, providing critical information on driver management, fuel usage and geofencing. She said the JA Plant Pool had established a state-of-the-art call centre to track all equipment and receive complaint calls, ensuring prompt and effective responses. She expressed the company's readiness to collaborate and partner with all MMDAs to implement the programme. Source: Ghana News Agency