Residents of Ejisu in the Ashanti region who have for years struggled with deplorable roads are excited as the government begins the construction of a 47-kilometre stretch in the area.
The project, which began through the lobbying of the Member of Parliament for the area, Dr John Ampotuah Kumah, will see the poor road network in about 15 communities tarred and asphalted.
Residents of the beneficiary communities are excited about the positive impact the road construction will have on their lives.
For decades, residents of Okyerekrom, Amoam-Achiase, Boankra, Adadientem, and Jamasi, among others have had to live with deplorable roads.
Drivers are forced to stop plying some of the communities, and those who do, charge exorbitant fares.
But through the efforts of the Member of Parliament for Ejisu, Dr. Kumah, who also doubles as a Deputy Minister of Finance, construction works on both link and town roads covering 47 kilometres have begun.
For the Assembly Member of Amoam-Achiase, Daniel Owusu, the struggles of pregnant women accessing vehicles, especially at night, will soon be over.
Okyerekrom-Amoam-Achiase-Abirem is expected to be asphalted.
“The road was in its worst state. We had to carry pregnant women shoulder-high to nearby towns before we could access vehicles for the hospital. I cannot quantify the benefits we will get once construction is completed. It will serve as a link to the Kumasi-Accra road,” he said.
For years, commercial drivers resorted to offloading passengers at the Adadientem Junction because of poor networks.
Francisca Arthur, a resident of Adadientem who has had to trek home for over 5 kilometers because commercial drivers refused to enter the town in protest over bad roads, is excited.
“Ever since I moved here 3 years ago, the story has been the same. The drivers offload us at the junction because of the poor nature of the road. I am happy this will soon change as authorities construct the road,” she said.
“This road was a no-go area, especially in the rainy seasons. This practice of the ‘trotro’ drivers refusing to work in this town would soon be over” Francisca added.
Sogood Engineering and Construction Ltd. are the contractors working on the project.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Prince Asare, says the firm, which is setting up an asphalt plant at Donanso is in a good position to complete the 25-kilometre stretch by the end of 2023.
“Our target is to complete most of the 47-kilometer stretch. Some places have 4 kilometres; others have 3. So the place that we have started is about 25 kilometres away. So, hopefully, by the end of this year, we should see the sealing works on the 25-kilometre stretch.”