Transformer, Air-Conditioners Stolen By Thieves At Abandoned World Bank Funded Datoyili Bus Terminal
A GH¢1.9 million bus terminal constructed at Datoyili in the Tamale metropolis meant to ease congestion in the main lorry terminal in the central business district has been abandoned.
Nine years after the completion of the bus terminal it has been left to deteriorate. Zaa news’ Mohammed Ibrahim has visited the abandoned bus terminal and has more in this report.
The project which was undertaken by the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) in 2015 with funding from the World Bank under the Urban Development Grant (UDG) to ease congestion in the central business district of the city.
But after years of abandonment the bus terminal which is fast deteriorating with paint peeling off the structure and parts of the ceilings and floor tiles removed by thieves who broke into the facility. Parts of the roofing also started ripping off.
The late chief of the area, ꬼozenaa Imoro, a sub chief of Banvum traditional area gave the assembly a 40 acre of land for the Tamale inland port project which included the bus terminal.
For about a decade now, the assembly developed the phase I of the bus terminal while the phase II rest-stop project about 65% complete also stalled after a change of government in 2017.
Weeds have taken over the entire lorry terminal, with reptiles and some mentally illed persons using the family as their place of abode.
Electrical cables, air conditioners, ceiling fans, louvers and bulbs including a transformer worth about 200,000 cedis fixed to supply electricity to the area have been stolen. The manholes are also left open posing danger to both humans and animals.
Security man
The security man for the facility, Iddrisu Kofi says he cannot be blamed for the theft of the items in the facility. I can’t tell the number years they own me and nobody said anything to me about my payment for several years that’s why I left his post. They have removed the fan and even the transformer behind the building. I got worried about the thievery that’s why I’m back to provide security, Mr Kofi narrated.
Development committee chairman of the area Seidu Tia it is pathetic and painful to see the sorry state of the terminal. We know the jobs it could have provided to our youth from Datoyili and other surrounding communities but unfortunately negligence led to the sorry state of the facility, Mr Seidu lamented.
According to him, Ghana is suffering because of negligence by political leadership. There is must continuation of projects by every government but that’s not the case. The country is struggling because of politicians’ pettiness.
The Assemblyman for Datoyili electoral area, Abu Haruna recounted that the terminal idea was muted during former president Kufour’s regime when the then Tamale mayor, Dr Mohammed Amin Atta told John Agyekum Kufour the need for such a project in Tamale.
However, there was no document for the acquisition of the land until his predecessor Hanan Abdul Rahaman Gundadow took over. The bus terminal phase I project sod was cut in 2014 and completed in 2016.
Contractor narration
Chief Executive of Jasound Construction Company Alhaji Issah Mohammed Habib told Zaa News part of the work is done but a lot of work is still needed. Explained the genesis of the project and its current sorry state, Mr Haruna even the chiefs were not given compensation by the assembly.
Contractor of the project, Alhaji Issah Mohammed Habib said the scope of work consist two phases; phase I was construction of bus terminal and phase II being a rest-stop for travelers.
He revealed that, the project was a Ghana Urban Management Pilot Program initial plan was at Picorna hotel area in the Aboabu electoral area but it couldn’t because of litigation issues from the then Tamale Dakpema palace which took them to court and upon realizing that the assembly could lose the opportunity because of litigation, the former Metropolitan Chief Executive Hanan Abdul Rahman Gundadow quickly relocated it to Datoyili.
An amount of GHC 700,000 according to Alhaji Habib was left for the project but reportedly diverted by the assembly to different project.
Assembly response
Public Relations Officer of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), Gbe Naa Mustapha Amadu Zakar told Zaa News the assembly has not abandoned the project. He explained that stakeholder consultation was ongoing for the terminal to be used, adding some installations would be done to revamp it.
He disclosed that plans are far advance for artisans at the Tamale industrial area to be moved to portions of the about 40-acre land.
The PRO explained that compensations to the chiefs has crop out in recently and the assembly is engaging the custodians of the land to agree on modalities of how the terminal would be used.
Discussions he explained are far advance with artisans from the Tamale industrial to move to the area to occupied portions of the land.