Tumu residents vow to boycott 2020 elections over bad roads

Residents of Tumu in the Sissala East Municipality of the Upper West Region have called on government to fix their deplorable roads with immediate effect lest they boycott the 2020 parliamentary and presidential elections.

The residents embarked on a peaceful demonstration on Friday to register their displeasure about the state of their roads.

They went through some principal streets of Tumu and ended the protest at the forecourt of the Sissala East Municipal Assembly where they presented a petition to the MCE, Karim Nanyua for onward submission to the President.

Speaking to Citi News, President of the Sissala Youth Forum, Yahaya Mimuni, cited the Wa-Han-Tumu, Wa-Wahabu-Tumu, Tumu-Wallembelle roads as critical roads that have been neglected by the government.

“As a matter of urgency, we demand that all contractors on the Sissala roads be paid to return to site and work on the roads. The Wa-Han-Tumu roads should be tarred by May 2020. All the other highways should be tarred and all feeder roads in the area be upgraded with immediate effect to avoid accidents and armed robbery. The Tumu-Wallembelle road which is still under construction should also be re-gravelled and not re–clayed. And finally, the frequent power outages be halted to accelerate development in the Sissala land,” he said.

“Your Excellency, we want to state that, without mincing words that the Sissala people will boycott the 2020 parliamentary and presidential elections, if these demands are ignored,” he added.

Recent road protests
The appalling state of the roads in parts of the country have become a challenge to a lot of people.

Although the government has declared 2020, as the Year of Roads it seems the promise has not yet brought relief to some people.

In recent times, many residents who have been irritated by poor roads in their communities have resorted to protests to mount pressure on authorities to get their roads fixed.

In many of those areas, dissenting residents burnt tyres and wielded placards with varied inscriptions to have their roads which they say are full of potholes and bumps fixed.