The Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to revisit and renegotiate the terms of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) initiative.

During his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Friday, 31st January, Ablakwa raised concerns that the project, launched in August 2024, had been inflated by over $100 million.

He argued that the financial handling of the programme needed urgent attention to prevent wastage of public funds.

The DRIP initiative was introduced as a key infrastructure project aimed at improving road maintenance and construction across all districts in Ghana. It also sought to enhance the capacity of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) by providing them with state-of-the-art machinery and offering essential technical training to local authorities.

Despite the noble objectives of the project, Ablakwa contended that its financial execution had been plagued by inefficiencies, which could result in the misallocation of much-needed national resources.

Ablakwa revealed that only 25 percent of the total project cost had been paid, leaving ample room for renegotiation of the terms.

He emphasised the importance of acting swiftly to address the issue, stressing that it was crucial to safeguard public funds.

“Fortunately, only 25 percent has been paid, and not all liabilities have been met. I have encouraged the new Mahama administration to renegotiate the DRIP initiative so that we can save money, as my conservative estimate is that it has been inflated by more than $100 million,” he said.

He further explained the potential benefits of recovering such a large sum of money, highlighting that $100 million could make a significant difference in funding other critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and social intervention programmes.

These sectors, according to Ablakwa, are in dire need of investment, especially considering the economic challenges Ghana is currently facing. The potential for redirecting these funds into pressing areas could alleviate some of the country’s financial pressures.

The DRIP initiative was originally conceived as a transformative programme designed to decentralise road maintenance, empower local authorities, and create employment opportunities in the process.

However, the concerns raised by Ablakwa suggest that, unless its financial management is thoroughly reviewed, the project may fall short of its intended impact, further exacerbating Ghana's economic challenges.