The Nananom and the people of Tarkwa Apinto Divisional Council in the Western Region, on Wednesday morning, blocked the main road that links Tarkwa to Takoradi to register their displeasure over the bad nature of roads in the municipality.
The demonstrators, also comprising of sub-chiefs from across towns and villages around Tarkwa describe the present state of the road networks as an eyesore and do not “befit the town as a mining area”.
The angry protesters were clad in red and black outfits, signifying outrage; they also chanted war songs to drum home their point.
The demonstration started exactly 0600 hours GMT Wednesday. Indeed, reports indicate that the road networks are just unmotorable that several attempts in making city authorities fix them have proven futile.
The immediate cause of the demonstration was when 8 innocent children out of 33 in a bus, aged between two and ten years died in a horrific accident whilst the rest sustained various degrees of injury on the Tarkwa – Takoradi road.
Primarily, the journey between these two towns should take about one and half hours but due to the unmotorable nature of the roads, it takes close to three hours.
The Traditional Authorities have had their fair share of insults and accusations that they (Nananom) have sat aloof and indigenes die from preventable deaths.
Thus, in response to that they decided to register their displeasure by blocking the roads and demonstrating. Travelers going to Bogoso, Sefwi, Ayamfuri have all been denied passage.
Teachers, nurses and school going children took to walking to reach their various workplaces and schools.
According to Atinka news’ Western Regional correspondent, Mathew Dadzie, the demonstration was monitored by the Tarkwa Divisional Command and the Tarkwa Municipal Chief Executive, Gilbert Kennedy Asmah visited the scene and spoke with the Traditional Authorities.
The Tarkwa to Takoradi road and other minor roads per investigation done by our correspondent were contracts given to one Asabea Engineering Construction but have been left unattended to.
Historical facts suggest that this construction company has the penchant for not completing about 40% of all contracts given it, with the excuse that government has not released funds.
Ghana |Atinkaonline.com | Mathew Dadzie with additional files from Patrick Ofoe Nudzi
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com