A GH1.9 million bus terminal built in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, to relieve traffic at the main lorry outstation has been abandoned and left to decay five times since it was completed.
The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) built the design with help from the World Bank's Urban Development Grant program in 2015. (UDG).
The design was constructed by the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) in 2015 with backing from the World Bank under the Urban Development Grant (UDG).
It was furnished with auxiliary installations similar as parking lodges, motorists resting apartments, washrooms, passengers stands and security lodge.
Located at Datoyili in the central business quarter on the Tamale — Kintampo trace, the outstation was constructed to dislocate all long- distance vehicles from the central business quarter.
The current terminal serves motorcars that travel to all corridor of the country from Tamale.
State of installation
The new installation appears to be deteriorating, with maquillages shelling off the structure while corridor of the ceilings had collapsed supposedly due to the harsh rainfall conditions, the Daily Graphic observed during a stint of the place.
Weeds had also taken over the entire lorry outstation, with beast and suspected culprits contending over space for residence.
Colorful installations — including electrical lines, air conditioners, louvres and bulbs — also appeared to have been stolen.
The Northern Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Alhaji Masahudu Salifu, told the Daily Graphic that although the union was apprehensive of the deteriorating nature of the terminal, it hadn't entered any formal communication from TaMA on the way forward for the design.
He said informal reports from TaMA suggested that there were still ongoing consultations on the design before it would be handed over to the transport drivers.
He, still, expressed concern over the overdue detention in operationalising the installation, and called on megacity authorities to put it into good shape for use.
Broader discussion
The Chief Executive of the TaMA, Mr Sule Salifu, in a recent interview, said the assembly was engaged in broader stakeholders’consultations on the possible operation of the terminal.
“ The assembly isn't resting on this matter; we're doing all we can to insure that we put the facility into use,” he stated.
Source: Graphic.com.gh