A group of angry residents of Tarkwa and Nsuaem in the Western region have staged a mammoth demonstration to register their displeasure over bad roads within the municipality.
The group known as Concerned Citizens of Tarkwa (CCT) blocked the main road linking Tarkwa and Nsuaem and surrounding communities to the Western Regional capital and the newly created Western-North Region; preventing vehicles from plying the route.
The hundreds of protestors, clad in red burnt car tyres amidst chanting of war songs to drum home their demand from government to fix the roads that have become death traps in the municipality.
They sent a strong warning to the Roads Minister to wake up from his sleep and ensure the roads are constructed.
According to the leadership of Concerned Citizens of Tarkwa, the bad nature of the roads in the municipality is posing both health and security threats on the lives of residents.
“We have also encountered a number of armed robbery cases of which the recent was on 10th February 2019 at 9:20 pm, between Ahwetieso and Wassa Agona. It took the timely intervention of the police to avert a disaster. This can also be attributed to the bad nature of the road,” they narrated.
They bemoaned how it has become difficult for people to get commercial buses (trotro) because of roads since most commercial vehicles no more ply that route.
“As a result of the bad nature of the road, we are dying! Our checks from the hospitals have revealed that respiratory diseases as a result of constant inhaling of dust are increasing rapidly in Tarkwa. Respiratory Tract Infection according to clinical care 5/14 is as follows:
In 2016, 47,216 cases were recorded, 2017 saw an increase to 50,149 cases and 2018 saw even a further increase to 58,022 cases. It is conspicuous that due to the dusty nature of the road, communities along the stretch and entire Tarkwa Township are battling with a health hazard. Has anyone thought of the babies that are being born in these areas. It is so sad.
Brothers and sisters, to cut a long story short, a few months ago when Nananom demonstrated, the Regional Minister came to assure all of us that the contractor (Asabea) was going to be given some money within two (2) weeks to enable the contractor to facilitate the work in a very rapid manner.
However, four months have since passed and what do we rather see? A total neglect! The contractor has even vacated the site entirely. As a result community like, Tamso, Bankyim, Jerusalem, Akyempim, and Ahwetieso now bath, eat, drink and wear dust. Due to the way dust is able to travel, we are at risk. Fellow CCT members, dust and its health hazards can be chronic and its implications, very disastrous. This is the reason for all of us to wake up”.
By: Kekeli Kuatsenu/awakenewsonline.com