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Robbers takes over Swedru-Akim Oda highway

By Benedict Kweku Nkrumah, Agona Ninfa
Regional News Robbers takes over Swedru-Akim Oda highway
NOV 15, 2015 LISTEN

Driver plying the Agona Swedru-Akim Oda road that links Central and Eastern regions have appealed to the Central Government and for that matter the Ghana Highways Authority to as a matter of urgency reshape the deplorable road to wall off highway robbers who have been killing and tormenting innocent drivers and passengers.

According to the drivers, rampant violence robbery has been occurring on the road and has claimed souls thus compelling drivers especially to stop plying the road in the night attributing the deplorable nature of the road to the robberies.

In an interview with newsmen, the drivers contended that they have refused to ply the road after 6:30pm because most of the robberies occurred within that period thus leaving passengers slandered daily. “We have to protected ourselves. We have wives, children and family members who depend on us for their daily bread and therefore cannot risk our lives for the sake of passengers. I can count about three drivers and five passengers who have been killed by highway robbers on this road and they mostly occurred where there are’ manholes’.

Because of the nature of the road, we have to slow down to be able to drive through the road and that is exactly where the robbers took advantage” they noted.

The Central Regional Chairman of the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA), Nana Yaw Fayah told newsmen in an interview that the Association was doing all it could for authorities to make the road motor able and for smooth transportation of goods and services.

“The road is giving us headache. It will be interesting to noted that apart from the deplorable nature of the road which is attracting highway robbers, we have not recorded a single accident from our drivers in the Association. Most of the robbery cases occurred between Agona Nsaba and Agona Ninta where the road has become miserable.

The office has put in place measures to ensure that our drivers drive passengers home safely. I therefore appealed to the Agona West and Birim Central Municipal Assemblies as well as the Agona East District Assembly to collaborate with the Ghana Highway Authority to reshape the road to boost the driving industry in the two regions” The Central Regional Vice Chairman of PROTOA, Mr. Fatawu Yahaya bemoaned the rather in attitude of authorities towards the regular maintenances of the road that links Central and Eastern Regions. He lamented over situation where police personnel instead of mounting barriers at the robbery prone areas rather stop drivers at ‘comfortable’ places and extort monies from drivers.

“We have are everything to stop our drivers from demonstration against the deplorable state of the road. I once again appeal the authorities to come to Mecedonia and help us” the Vice chairman pleaded.

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