Election 2024: Old Buipe residents threaten to prevent people from voting over lack of dev’t

Some residents of the Old Buipe electoral area in the Savannah Region have vowed to prevent voters in the area from taking part in the upcoming December polls.

They have also threatened to stage a series of protests against the government over lack of development.

They claim their action has been necessitated by years of neglect by the government.

The Old Buipe residents have raised concerns such as inadequate healthcare, poor road networks, bad network connectivity, and other developmental challenges, which they claim have made life unbearable for them.

The Old Buipe electoral area, which includes communities such as Old Buipe, Lito, Gbongbonto, Winamda, Boachipe, and Braimape, is grappling with numerous developmental challenges that are severely affecting residents’ living conditions.

The only road leading to these areas is in a deplorable state, with recent rains exacerbating the situation. The road is characterised by eroded potholes and muddy waters during the rainy season, making commuting difficult.

Additionally, a stream that crosses the major road compounds residents’ difficulties, as they risk their lives crossing it. A bridge project has been abandoned by the contractor for some time now.

Residents who use this road daily expressed their concerns to Channel One News in an interview.

During a visit by Channel One TV to the Old Buipe D/A Primary School, the only school serving these communities, pupils were seen playing as their teachers were absent.

Residents reported that teachers often refuse postings to the area due to the poor road network, jeopardizing the children’s education. The few teachers who do work in the school are frequently absent, leaving the children with no choice but to play.

A trader, Malia Zakaria, expressed frustration about the difficulty in getting to the market in Buipe to sell her goods due to the poor condition of the road. She mentioned that they sometimes fall off the tricycles they travel on because of the deplorable state of the road.

She further noted that when their children fall sick, the bad road conditions make it impossible to access healthcare, which is miles away in the Buipe township.

Another resident, Yahaya Muntaka, highlighted the network challenges in the area. He mentioned that women in labour face significant difficulties accessing healthcare, which is about nine miles away, due to their inability to call for transportation.

He appealed for help, warning that if the government does not urgently address these issues, they will not vote on December 7.

In a press statement read by Mahama Tanko, community members issued a two-week ultimatum to the government to act on their requests or face mass protests, including staying away from voting in the polls.

In a telephone conversation with the MP for the area, John Abdulai Jinapor, he promised that in the coming days, contractors will move to the area to improve the road conditions.

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