An Open Letter To The Honourable Members Of Parliament For Wassa Amenfi

Dear Honourable MPs,

I am writing to you as an indigene of Wassa Amenfi who is deeply concerned about the deplorable state of our main road from Bawdie to Asankrangwa that threatens lives and livelihoods. I am also writing to you with the firm believe that you are particularly positioned to address this serious situation.

I want to start off by stating that I am not a politician and would not want anybody to politicise the serious issue of the Bawdie-Asankrangwa road. What I am doing is just in the interest, welfare, and progress of Amenfiman.

As you are fully aware, the Bawdie-Asankrangwa road is the main artery for the economic wellbeing and progress of the three constituencies in the Amenfi District and Municipalities. This stretch of road is used to access the hinterland and is even important for the Aowins and Sefwis who also use it regularly.

I am sure that you all will agree with me that the economic prosperity of the area depends on the usability of this road by traders, businesspeople, farmers etc. For example, the booming and bustling market days at Asankrangwa is patronised by traders and customers from as far as the Northern part of the country and even from neighbouring Ivory Coast, not to mention the other regions. Moreover, the area is in the heart of the resurgent cocoa production, an area which until recently was unsurpassed in the production of cocoa. Besides, the Asankrangwa Senior Secondary School was and is still counted as a good school in the region. However, with the current state of the road - with travelling time of over three hours for the 33-mile stretch - will ultimately diminish the attractiveness of this important community and national asset.

Further, all vehicular traffic from Accra, Takoradi and Kumasi to Asankrangwa, ply the road in question every day of the week. But passengers who must use this road continue to complain bitterly about the appalling nature of the road not simply because it is inconvenient but it is also treacherous. This, in my opinion, does not auger well in the interest of our community.

Hon Gentlemen, your silence and apparent inaction create the impression that you are unconcerned about the state of this main road and its continuing deterioration. You know the people of Wassa Amenfi will hardly complain to the central government about their roads and that is why this road has been left in this condition for decades, and it’s getting worse.

If nothing is done by the end of this minor raining season, the road is likely to be rendered completely unmotorable. Advocating for central government’s intervention, in my candid view, will take another DECADE of inaction. I believe that a concerted effort and action by you Gentlemen, along with the Municipal and District Chief Executives and the citizenry will go a long way to improve the present condition. At the very least materials can be mobilised with your leadership for the pot and sinkholes to be filled so we can assuage any future calamities. It will be the height of irresponsibility to wait for a tragedy to occur before mobilizing in a reactionary fashion to address this major problem. Let’s not presume on the Grace of God and thus fail to attend to this road that needs urgent fixing.

Gentlemen, I will admonish you to do something now before you come with promises to ask for another term in 2024. The time to act to regenerate the dying Amenfiman is now, and I implore you to step up and take the necessary action. Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

(Signed)

Kojo Sebeh