Residents living along the Banso-Banka road in the Asante-Akim South Municipality, rose to ecstatic jubilation at a ceremony to cut a sod for the rehabilitation of the road in the area.

The 26-kilometre stretch road had been in a very deplorable state for many years, adversely affecting the socio-economic activities and living conditions of the people.

It was, therefore, a great relief and excitement for the people when Mr Alexander Frimpong, the Municipal Chief Executive, together with Mr Kwaku Asante-Boateng, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, broke the ground for contractors to start work on the road.

They just could not believe the road was even going to be tarred for the first time, having been reshaped occasionally over the years.

Some of them who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during the brief sod-cutting ceremony, narrated how the deplorable road had negatively impacted their lives.

They particularly bemoaned the difficulties they faced in transporting their farm produce to market centres and how they were compelled to give them away at cheap prices for fear of glut.

They, therefore, lauded the government for addressing their age-long concern and called for swift completion of the project to facilitate free movement of goods and services.

Mr. Frimpong, the DCE said the project was critical to the local economy since the area was virtually the food basket of the municipality and beyond.

He said the completion of the road would open up the area to other parts of the municipality especially, market centres, and improve the livelihoods of the people.

Mr Frimpong stated that the government would continue to improve on-road infrastructure in the municipality to boost economic and farming activities which were the mainstay of the municipality

Mr. Asante-Boateng, MP for the area, entreated the people to bear with the government as it rolled out infrastructural development projects in all sectors to improve the lives of Ghanaians.

He charged the contractor, Steam Group to expedite work to fix the road for the benefit of the beneficiary communities.