Residents of Antieku, Sowutuom, others decry poor state of their roads

Residents of Auntie Aku (Antieku), Awoshie, and Sowutuom in the Ga Central Municipal District of the Greater Accra Region are decrying the poor state of their roads.

According to the aggrieved residents, including some unhappy road users, the deplorable state of the roads is taking a toll on their daily routines amidst the grave economic challenges it poses for them.

President Akufo-Addo, in his first term, tagged 2020 as the “Year of Roads,” where he promised to embark on an aggressive road development across the country.

Declaring 2021 as the second year of roads, he pledged to prioritize road construction to ensure that a significant number of kilometres across the country are tarred.

He touted his government as achieving unprecedented milestones in the road sector since taking office in 2017, claiming it to be the most significant accomplishment in Ghana’s history.

During the 2022 State of the Nation Address, he reported that his administration had constructed approximately 10,875 kilometers of new roads within five years, a claim that was proven to be false after a fact check.

Yet, amid this national narrative of progress, the streets of Auntie Aku (Antieku), Awoshie, Sowutuom, situated in the Ga Central Municipal District of Greater Accra, tell a different tale.

Speaking to Starr News, residents lamented the dilapidated state of their roads, asserting that the President’s image, along with that of his party, hinges on the urgent resolution of the roughly 70 kilometres of crumbling roads.

Kwame, a driver and station master in the area lamented how the poor road network is affecting him and other drivers in the town.

“The state of the road even affects us drivers, and we spend lots of money fixing the problems the road causes our vehicles. We plead with the responsible body to help fix our road,” he stressed.

Some of the residents also shared their frustration due to the bad road conditions.

Another resident, Beatrice Nartey, remarked, “We only have one appeal, and that is the construction of our road; the dust is too much.”

Serving notice to advise themselves in the upcoming general election, the residents chronicled how the poor roads have retarded development in the area after many unfulfilled promises to fix them.

Echoing the sentiments of the residents in the area, Assemblyman for the Antieku electoral area, Benjamin Sewordor urged government to expedite action on the bad roads.

For the residents of Antieku, Awoshie, and Sowutuom, their plea to the government to repair their roads should serve as a reminder that effective governance goes beyond mere promises; it entails making tangible improvements that positively impact everyone in the nation.