DRIP Equipment To Be Rolled Out For Farm Road Construction Across Ghana

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has announced that the government will soon deploy District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) machinery to commence farm road construction across the country.

Speaking to journalists in Kumasi on Sunday, June 15, Mr. Opoku explained that the initiative is part of government efforts to improve access to farms and ease the transportation of agricultural produce from rural areas to markets.

“All districts will be provided with the necessary financial resources to fuel the DRIP machines and ensure they are used for their intended purpose—developing rural farm roads,” the Minister said.

As part of the plan, the government will temporarily suspend new road construction contracts in rural communities to allow full utilization of the DRIP equipment.

According to Mr. Opoku, some officials had recently begun processes to award new road contracts, but he stepped in to halt them. “Just last week, some people were preparing to award contracts for the construction of roads in some rural communities. I asked them to stop because we already have the equipment. All we need to do is provide them with fuel and let them go to work,” he stated.

The Minister stressed that the government is committed to using existing resources effectively, noting that the DRIP equipment, which includes bulldozers, graders, and compactors, is already available in all districts.

“This move will open up rural agricultural areas and reduce post-harvest losses due to poor roads. Farmers can now look forward to smoother access to markets and inputs,” he added.

The deployment of DRIP machines is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with district assemblies playing a key role in managing the resources and prioritizing road sections that urgently need rehabilitation.