CONSTRUCT OUR ROAD! ATWIMA NWABIAGYA DRIVERS PLEAD

From Joyceline Natally Cudjoe, Atwima

Commercial drivers and traders in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region have decried the poor nature of road networks in the area.

They said the road of Shiawu Besease, Amoaben and Afrancho become difficult to ply with at the slightest rain coupled with potholes which have created numerous puddles.

In an interview with The Ghanaian Times the aggrieved drivers lamented that the poor road network in the area made it difficult for motorists to operate.

Wofa Yaw, one of the drivers said the deplorable road has contributed to so many life lost adding that “the road hampers business activities and makes life unbearable for the drivers and the road users.”

Describing the road as dangerous, Kwame Danso said at the slightest rain the untarred road over flood leading to many accidents and constant breakdown of cars.

“Accidents which have been occurring in this area are mostly caused by the bad road network, because the road becomes unbearable anytime it rains and we risk our cars skidding off the roads if extreme caution is not applied,” he said.

He explained that the road of Shiawu Besease has been deplorable for over 50 years now without being tarred and has posed great danger to lives of the residents living in the area.

He stretched that pregnant women, physically challenged, pupils and teachers were the ones who suffered the most in using the road when it rained.

“Teachers do not go to school or class goes to an abrupt halt when it rains before they get stuck on the road,” he said.

The drivers furthered that the road also exposed commuters to dust anytime a vehicle passed by adding that they ran lost as they were forced to make frequent trips to mechanics whenever the car broke down.

Traders who spoke with The Ghanaian Times bemoaned that the deterioration of the road that led to the three communities had virtually made business come to a standstill.

“We cannot transport our goods to the neighbouring town when it rains, drivers who manage to send us charge huge sum of money and we end up running loss,” they said.

Aunty Yaa, one of the traders of the community complained that the dusty nature of the road made trading very difficult thus made them lose customers as their products, stores and shops were always coloured in dust.

They furthered that roads bring important social benefits and make a crucial contribution to economic development and growth.

“Since roads are of vital importance to make a nation grow by providing access to employment, social, health and education services therefore there is the need for government to construct the road in the district,” they said.

They indicated that if the government was committed to fighting poverty in order to stimulate productivity, economic and social development then it was about time it took cursory look at the roads of the nation.