Tarkwa: Chiefs Protest Bad Roads

Some of the chiefs during the protest

Economic activities in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region came to standstill yesterday, as the chiefs and people of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council embarked on a demonstration to protest against bad roads in the area.

The demonstrators indicated that the roads, particularly the Tarkwa-Wassa Agona portion of the Tarkoradi-Tarkwa Highway, were in a deplorable condition and do not befit the status of mining town of Tarkwa.

The protesters, therefore, blocked the road with stones and other objects and burnt tyres.

Clad in mostly red attire, the demonstrators marched through some streets in the municipality as early as 6am to register their displeasure over the delay in asphalting that portion of the road.

Traditional rulers, including Chief of Pepesa Nana Kwaku Nkrumah IV, Chief of Subri; Nana Kwabena Amponsah II, Tufohene of Dompim Pepesa; Nana Awua Okompong VIII, Apinto Gyasehen Nana Adarkwa Yiadom II were seen red and black regalia.

Some of the youth in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality were also seen chanting war songs in solidarity with the chiefs.

Scores of commuters, including school children, mine workers, market women and other residents became stranded, as many of them walked to their respective destinations.

“The Tarkwa Road is so deplorable that it is difficult to drive on it, the demonstration is therefore aimed at attracting the Central government’s attention to the deteriorating roads,” they added.

They pointed out that the construction of the road began in 2013 by Asabea Engineering Works Limited.

They asserted that the contractor has only constructed storm drains along the road, and reinforced the base with rocks and clay to avert the perennial floods that occur mostly along the AngloGold Golf Pitch in Tarkwa.

“The road is very dusty, causing some nuisance to households and shops along it, and pedestrians who ply the road also suffer from some dust-related diseases.

“High cost of maintaining vehicles, increase in pedestrian accidents, dust pollution, among others, are some of the reasons for the demonstration,” they pointed out.

According to them, even though the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality could boast of many mining companies, the people were yet to benefit fully from the companies.

They attributed the accident that occurred recently in Tarkwa that claimed the lives of seven school-children partly to the bad nature of the road.

Chief of Pepesa Nana Kwaku Nkrumah IV said that the construction of the road has been long overdue.

He mentioned that the traditional council has on several occasions reminded the government about the need to expedite work on the project.

He said the traditional council and residents would embark on another massive demonstration if government fails to respond positively to their demands.

The chiefs later visited the families of the school-children who lost their lives in the road accident.

MCE Reacts
Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Gilbert K. Asmah, in an interview with journalists, mentioned that it was too early for the residents to embark on such a demonstration.

He explained that last Friday the stakeholders, including some traditional leaders, met to discuss plans to fix the road.

“There has been a meeting with the Ministries of Finance, Roads and Highways, Lands and Natural Resources, as well as the Ghana Highway Authority and that a proposal had been sent to the mining companies to help fund the construction of the road,” he added.

He pointed out that plans were underway to reconstruct the 61.50 kilometre Apeamanim-Bogoso Junction Road and a by-pass to help ease congestion in Tarkwa.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi