Scores of youth of Mampong and adjoining communities in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis of the Western Region Thursday morning blocked the Kansawrodo-Mampong main road to all forms of vehicular movement for more than six hours.
According to the angry youth, their action was to protest the deplorable nature of the road and neglect despite consistent complaints.
Construction of the Kansawrodo to Angu road began before election 2020. The section from Kansawrodo to the light industrial area – Kokompe – junction, which is about 2 kilometers, has been asphalted. The rest is unattended to.
Armandi Construction is rehabilitating the Kojokrom Manso rail line and uses the Kansawrodo-Mampong road to haul materials.
It is due to this that residents along the road have been complaining that the trucks of Armandi are destroying it.
“The haulage trucks are destroying the road. Even though the road has not been asphalted, it was quite okay to ply it. Our woes began when the trucks started plying it. The drivers drive without care to both humans and animals. When it rains there is a problem, when it’s dry season there is a problem because they speed on the road and they produce dust,” one resident complained.
Another resident lamented that deep gullies and trenches have formed on the road, making it scary to ply especially during the rainy season.
He recounts how a school bus loaded with students got stuck for several hours before it was pulled out and pleaded with authorities to resume work on the road.
According to them, several complaints to the authorities have gone unanswered. Of particular worry to them is the section where gas pipeline belonging to the Ghana National Gas Company Limited crosses; a deep gully has formed and collected water. The residents fear further leaching could be disastrous.
“We are just sitting on a time bomb here. Look at this area. You see the inscription indicating that gas pipelines pass here. Now look at the gully that has been created. It has collected water and as you can see, it is above my knees. This manhole is gradually widening and we fear it will affect the buried gas pipelines and the disaster that will be created could be unfathomable.”
Left with no option, the residents on Thursday blocked the road to vehicular movement. Companies and commercial vehicles as well as school buses were all locked up due to the road block.
“I got here at about few minutes to seven and it is now after nine and I am still here. It is frustrating. Look at the teachers and headmasters, they cannot teach today. It is sad how roads in the country are deteriorating,” a frustrated commuter lamented.
The residents have vowed to block the road regularly until it is rehabilitated.
Several hours into the demonstration personnel from the Ghana Police Service came to the scene to speak with the demonstrators to remove the road block.
“The regional police commander and other divisional commanders, reps from Ghana Gas, NADMO and other stakeholders came here and spoke with us. According to them, Armandi has agreed to work on some problem areas identified. The temporary works will start tomorrow. The youth agreed and opened the road to traffic. So, we are hoping that the team will not disappoint us but honor their words,” Assembly member for the area Isaac Hagan later told 3news.com.
By Eric Yaw Adjei|Connect FM|3news.com|Ghana