Communities angry about neglect of road project

Abandonment of construction work on the Atebubu-Kwame Danso stretch road has attracted the anger of local communities along the shoulders of the stretch.

They have, therefore, threatened not to give audience to any political party that will come to the area to campaign, neither will they participate in Election 2016, if work on the project is not completed.

The late President John Evans Atta Mills cut the sod for work to commence on the 31-kilometre Atebubu-Kwame Danso road in 2009.

Being awarded to and executed by a Wa-based construction firm, A and N, only some minor works had been done on the road, when the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the area.

The project is a single-seal bituminous surface dressing and single-dash carriage two-way road, with funding from the government at the cost of GH¢32.5 million.

It was scheduled for completion in 2011.

The GNA was in the area to assess the progress of work on the project on Monday, when the local communities issued the threat.

There was the construction equipment, but few minor works had been done on the drainage.

In a random interview, the residents lamented about the abandonment of the project, which according to some of them, had reduced their confidence in the government.

Pleading on condition of anonymity, the residents regretted that successive governments continued to neglect the communities in all areas of development.

According to them, construction of the road was now their major priority, and pleaded with the President John Dramani Mahama, to intervene for work to resume.

On completion, the local people observed that the road would not only facilitate easy movement of the people, but would also open up economic opportunities and speed up business growth in the area.

During the visit, the GNA sighted that several ditches had been created in the middle of the road, making vehicle immovable because of some minor works carried on the project.

The situation is, however, worsened during a downpour, as commercial and other private vehicles that attempted to ply the road were always trapped.

Some towns mostly affected by the construction work are Bassa, Wiase and Bantama.

According to the local folks, who are mostly yam and fish farmers, because of the deplorable condition of the road, drivers charge unapproved fares from Atebubu to Kwame-Danso.

They said the nature of the road has made it difficult for them to transport their produce to the Atebubu yam market for sale, especially during wet seasons, as most of the commercial drivers failed to ply on it.

Mr Addai Fofie, the Sene East District Chief Executive, who was reluctant to comment on the matter, said he was aware the government released some funds to the contractor to execute the project.

Attempts to contact the contractor were unsuccessful, as his mobile phone was switched off.

Meanwhile, construction work on the 71.2-kilometre Kwadwokrom -Kajaji road, is steadily progressing.

The work is being executed by Jusmoh Construction Limited, a Kumasi-based road construction firm.

Though the contractor was not at work during the visit, construction and other heavy duty equipment were sighted on the road.