Concerned citizens of Tarkwa-Nsuaem call on government to fix roads
Concerned citizens of Tarkwa-Nsuaem have staged a demonstration over the deplorable state of their roads.
The aggrieved citizens, who were dressed in red and black attire with red armbands and head gears, burned car tyres on the road and matched through some principal streets in Tarkwa to register their displeasure.
According to them, despite several promises, government has failed to fix the Tarkwa-Takoradi Highway, which is in a bad state.
Activities in Tarkwa and its environs came to a standstill as the demonstrators blocked part of the Tarkwa -Takoradi Highway from 4:30 am to 6:30 pm.
“The demonstrators carried placards with the inscription, this is not a bush road, Tarkwa to Takoradi four hours, fix our roads now, why Tarkwa, business are collapsing, we eat and breath dust 24/7, dust is killing us”.
Addressing the demonstrators, Mr. Samuel Kwasi Asare, Secretary to the group, indicated that Tarkwa and its environs supported the economy of Ghana with resources such as, gold, cocoa, manganese, timber, rubber, palm and also link Awaso and Takoradi Harbour in transporting bauxite.
He said in spite of the huge contributions, Tarkwa and its environs have enormous developmental challenges.
He explained that from the Tamso to Wassa Agona portion of the road had developed potholes that were affecting all those who plied that route.
Mr Asare described the situation as worrying as Tarkwa stood to be a famous mining community.
He disclosed, “Our checks from the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital has revealed that among the top ten causes of Out Patient Department attendance was respiratory diseases as a result of constant inhalation of dust”.
“According to the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital, three years ago, 47,216 cases of respiratory tract infection diseases were recorded, which increased in 2017 to 50,149 and further increased to 58,022 cases in 2018,” he noted.
Mr Asare recalled that few months ago, the traditional rulers demonstrated on the same road and the sector Minister came to assure the people of Tarkwa-Nsuaem that the contractor, Asabea Engineering Construction Limited was going to be given funds within a week to enable him complete the work.
He said it had been five months since and that the contractor has abandoned the work and communities like Tamso, Bankyim, Jerusalem, Akyempim, and Ahwetieso were suffering.
The demonstrators together with their leaders presented a petition to the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Mr. Glibert Kennedy Asmah.
Mr. Asmah after receiving the petition promised to forward it to the appropriate office.
Source: GNA