A frustrated pregnant woman who is searching for her ‘missing’ husband in the last couple of months has resorted to filling potholes on the Obuasi-Domeabra road in the Ashanti region for tokens, to enable her raise money to start a business.
Ama Sabath, who is expecting her second child, is a native of Susuanso on the outskirt of Obuasi, Ghana’s gold-rich town. She says life has become too unbearable for her and her child since the husband left home for sometime now to search for a job.
Ama, who starts work in the morning, closes at 4pm, and has won the hearts of some motorists who dash her money and other gifts.
Normally she goes to location with her tools such as head pan, shovel and pick axe.
She said she looks out for where the road has developed deep potholes, uses the shovel to fill her headpan with gravels and soil, and then fill the potholes.
While a section of the residents and other road users are commending her, others say it is dangerous job for a pregnant woman.
Mr Philip Ainoo-Ansah, a resident who has seen the lady on many occasions filling potholes on the road, advised that the city authorities should help Ama out and also construct the road.
In his view it is not advisable for a woman in such a condition to engage in the active work she does.
Kofi Antwi, a commercial driver, commended the woman for trying her best to solve the problem. He, however, blamed the authorities for failing to continue the construction from Obuasi to Fomena Junction.
In an interview with the DCE of the Obuasi East District Assembly, Madam Faustina Amissah, she said the information about the woman filling potholes had come to her attention and she promised to invite Ama to her office to know more of her issues.
According to the Obuasi East DCE, she has a report that this woman had been seen on different roads far away from the Obuasi township doing the same work.
In 2019, Myjoyonline did a story on Obuasi highlighting problems and infrastructural challenges with the roads at the centre.
Some months after the publication, construction of the road from Obuasi to Fomena Junction was awarded but the construction ended at Kwabena Akwa while dangerous gullies and potholes have since developed.
