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Opinions of Thursday, 25 March 2004

Columnist: Osei, Nana

Who is responsible for filling ?POTHOLES?? scenti no!

?Massa, alla alla, please give us 20, oh oo, I beg. Medaase?. These are common words of teenagers and sometimes adults who take the trouble to fill potholes on the Ghanaian roads without any authority. They then demand offerings from motorists. In some instances they mount temporal roadblocks to demand more attention from motorists plying on these roads.

These youngsters fill the potholes with earth using simple tools such as pick axes, shovels and bowls or wheelbarrows.

Sadly enough, these poorly filled potholes get worsened after the first rain.

It is very sad to hear that dozens of precious lives are lost forever just because a Hon. Minister of Road & Highways refused to fill it.

Causing financial loss to the nation is not only by misappropriating or embezzling govt. funds but also by causing the death of innocent victims who have paid their taxes and yet continue to suffer from the total negligence of our Hon. Minister.

Why do I attack the Hon. Minister of Road & Highways?

Who else is responsible for the roads in Ghana?

Whether it is the Dept. of Feeder roads, PWD, Urban or Rural roads etc., they all fall under his ministry.

It?s an eyesore and very disturbing to witness on daily basis several motorists bursting their tires or escaping death narrowly as a result of ?potholes?.

The most annoying part is that, some of these potholes begin with a diameter less than the size of an adult?s palm. This is deliberately neglected to increase greatly until it can kill dozens of human beings.

Once such deaths occur, the Hon. Minister?s dept. cowardly fills these potholes. However it?s too late, the precious lives are gone, gone for good!

How much will it cost the country to assign dedicated staffs to each region to fill these potholes and patrol the roads on continuous basis to ensure that they are safe?

Who gives permission for the shoddy construction of speed bumps/ramps on the roads?

They are more dangerous than what it is meant to protect.

Someone?s mother, child, wife & husband is crying, weeping because he has been murdered by the state.

Hon. Minister of Roads & Highways, scenti noo, potholes scenti no agye babiaaaa!

Nana Osei
Sankofa TV, The Netherlands

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