BY Daniel Bampoe
Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) across the country have been directed to make mandatory payments of GH¢4,500 each into the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) operational account to finance the orientation of district coordinators.
A memo dated August 5, 2025, and signed by Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, National Coordinator of DRIP, reminded MMDCEs that due to financial constraints, the Secretariat could not cover the full cost of the orientation.
The payment, according to the letter, was to cater for accommodation, feeding, and transport arrangements for the coordinators who are required to register with proof of payment before participating.
The orientation programme has been scheduled across various regions from July to September, with venues including Ada, Bolgatanga, Tamale, Sunyani, Kumasi, and Takoradi.
The directive also contained official bank details of the DRIP operational account at the National Investment Bank, East Legon branch.
Financial Burden on Districts
The circular has sparked concerns among assembly officials and civil society observers who argue that such compulsory payments place undue financial pressure on MMDAs, many of which already struggle with inadequate Internally Generated Funds (IGF).
Critics say this directive raises questions about accountability and the financial management of the DRIP initiative, which was launched with the promise of empowering local assemblies to handle road maintenance without central government bottlenecks.
Earlier Criticism of DRIP
The controversy over funding comes against the backdrop of earlier criticism by President John Dramani Mahama then a Flagbearer of NDC, who in September 2024 questioned the effectiveness of DRIP during a campaign engagement with the Bono Regional House of Chiefs.
Mahama argued that the programme was poorly planned, citing a viral video that showed heavy road equipment being moved to districts under questionable conditions.
According to him, the government should have mobilised “payloaders” and appropriate low-bed trucks to safely transport machinery instead of exposing them to damage.
He further highlighted that some of the over 2,240 units of equipment distributed — including graders, rollers, bulldozers, and tipper trucks — were lying idle due to the lack of skilled operators, describing it as evidence of poor execution.
Interestingly, the NDC now in power is using some of the equipment for galamsey activities and refuse collection.
Background on DRIP
The District Road Improvement Programme was launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on July 31, 2024.
The initiative forms part of the government’s decentralisation drive, aimed at giving MMDAs the tools to rehabilitate and maintain local road networks.
At its unveiling, the government presented the programme as a groundbreaking solution to the country’s road challenges, promising that district assemblies would no longer be left waiting on the central government for basic road repairs.
However, barely a year into implementation, the programme is battling criticism over financing, planning, and logistics.
The latest directive compelling MMDCEs to personally finance coordinator orientations appears to deepen concerns over the sustainability and transparency of the project.
