The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has announced plans to deploy earth-moving equipment acquired under the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) to construct and rehabilitate farm roads across the country.

Speaking to journalists in Kumasi on Sunday, June 15, the Minister revealed that all districts will be provided with fuel to operate the DRIP machinery, ensuring that the equipment is used efficiently and for its intended purpose.

“As part of the initiative, the government will supply every district with the necessary financial resources to fuel the machines and put them to work,” Mr. Opoku said. “This will greatly improve access to farms and ease the transportation of food to nearby communities.”

In a strategic move to prioritize the use of DRIP equipment, Mr. Opoku also disclosed that the government will temporarily suspend all major rural road construction projects. This pause is intended to create space for DRIP resources to be fully utilized without duplication of efforts or unnecessary expenditure.

He revealed that some officials had already begun preparing to award new rural road contracts, but he intervened to stop the process.

“Just last week, some people were getting ready to award road construction contracts in rural areas. I told them to stop because we already have the equipment in place,” the Minister said. “All we need now is fuel to get the machines moving.”

The DRIP initiative is aimed at improving rural infrastructure to enhance agricultural productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and support the transportation of food produce from farms to markets.