Avie, April 10, GNA - Residents of Avie, a farming community on the Afife-Tsiyinu road in the Ketu District, at the weekend prevented vehicles from using a by-pass through compounds in the community. An uncompleted culvert, abandoned almost a year ago at Avie during construction works on the road, forces vehicles plying the route to use compounds in the village as thoroughfare.

The residents said their action was a demonstration of their anger at the under performance of the district authorities in completing the road.

The angry mob, including women and children, occupied portions through the compounds used by vehicles and also blockaded other sections with tree stumps.

Some journalists who were on their way to cover Easter activities at Tsiyinu had to plead with the angry residents with a promise to carry their protest across before they were allowed to pass through. Togbi Doe Ashiabor II, Dufia of Tsiyinu, where residents celebrated their 21st Annual Deviza festival as part of Easter activities, also highlighted the bad nature of the Afife-Tsiyinu road, particularly during the rains, and urged the authorities to refocus on it.

He mentioned lack of potable water and bad state of the Tsiyinu Basic School as some of the problems being faced by the community and appealed to the authorities to come to their aid. Togbe Ashiabor also appealed to the government to consider establishing a vocational training centre in the area because youths in the area cannot enrol in similar centres at Ho and Sogakope because of the cost involved.