Opinions of Wednesday, 10 February 2016

Columnist: Boateng, Emmanuel Agyemfra

An open letter to the Municipal Chief Executive of Obuasi

Mr. Chief Executive

The last time I wrote to you was on the need for the Municipality to have another Fire out-Station at either Kunka or Bidiem that would’ve served the people of Sanso,Fenaso, Tweapease all the way to Akrokerri but am yet to get a reply from your able office. Late last year there was a fire out break at Kyekyewere and before the Fire fighters got there from Boete, everything was down to ashes.
Chief, today I write to you on a matter of great concern to the people of the Golden Municipality of Ghana, ‘OUR ROADS’. You and I will attest to the fact that, we have some of the poorest roads in the country which goes a long way to claim lives and cause mechanical faults to hard earned commercial and private vehicles.
According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census Analytical Report on Obuasi Municipal, it stated that, the Municipality has 228 km of roads, consisting of 80 km of urban roads and 148 km feeder roads. The report also stated that, he Municipality is linked by two major roads; one connects from Kumasi through the Obuasi Township to Central Region.
Chief, one of the main interconnecting roads is the Obuasi-Anwiankwanta road. This road because of its bad nature have caused many deaths, armed robbers have also taken advantage of the nature pouncing on unsuspecting poor traders.
Sir, I got very angry when I saw a caterpillar leveling all potholes and trenches on the road prior to the visit of Lady Julia, the wife of the Asantehene! I started wondering if you really care about us at all as the Governor for the Municipality? If you value the life of Lady Julia and her entourage above your people who ply this road every blessed day then I’m tempted to say you are getting it wrong.
The dust on this road is unbearable, causing us lung related diseases whiles our drivers suffer with mechanical faults that would’ve been prevented if this short road is upgraded.
Chief, another road which I think you’ve not being using is the Obuasi- Dunkwa highway. This road is a major road that connects the Municipality to the Western and Central Regions, even though something is being done on the road; users are losing patients due to the slow nature of work ongoing.
Sir, let me bring you back from the dusty and deadly highway roads to the Obuasi Township. The Central government did well by upgrading some roads including the Abompe Newsite-New Nyamebekyere stretch.
The upgrading of the road ended exactly at the T-Junction close to the Methodist Private School. Neighbourhood Hospital is not too far from this place. Patients and residents ply this road in anguish every day. The rate at which vehicles break down on this road is uncountable.
Chief, do your best and attend to this very important road.
Let me humbly remind you of the promise you made on Shaft FM last year to construct the Mactina to Government Hill Street before the November 7th elections.
Chief, Obuasi deserves better than what we are seeing. We should see our roads being repaired permanently not because a big man or woman is coming here but because we pay taxes, tolls and other monies for the roads to be upgraded.
I hope this letter would not suffer as the one on the Ghana National Service did.
Respectfully,
Sigd
Emmanuel Agyemfra Boateng
Concern Citizen of Obuasi