The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has sharply criticized the ongoing distribution of heavy-duty equipment under the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), labelling it a political gimmick designed to buy votes ahead of the December 7 general elections.

Speaking during his campaign tour at Asesewa in the Eastern Region on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, Mr Asiedu Nketia expressed skepticism over the government’s commitment to improving the country's road infrastructure.

He argued that despite declaring multiple "Year of Roads" initiatives in 2018, 2019, and 2020, there has been little to no noticeable improvement in the condition of roads across the country.

“With all their declarations on the Year of Roads in 2018, 2019, and 2020, your roads were still the same.

What will significantly change with the introduction of DRIP?” he questioned, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the programme to bring about any meaningful improvements.

Mr Asiedu Nketia suggested that the timing of the equipment distribution, with less than three months to the general elections, is part of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) strategy to influence voters rather than genuinely address the nation’s road challenges.

 He dismissed the initiative as a last-minute effort, stating, “Nothing will change in terms of improvements on your roads; this is just part of the NPP’s mechanism to buy votes ahead of the December 7, 2024 general elections.”