For the past several years, the Kumawu-Effiduase road has become too dangerous to drivers and commuters plying it during certain hours of the day and on some days, especially, on weekends.

Highwaymen carrying rifles and assorted weapons had taken over the control of the road from around 4 pm until daybreak of most days.

These armed robbers were stopping vehicles plying the road, seizing passengers’ money, mobile phones (cell phones), and any valuables they could lay hands on as well as injuring some of them.

Both passengers and drivers refused to ply the road any time between the hours of 4 pm and dawn, seeing that period as the peak time for the robbers to execute their nefarious intentions and activities.

Despite the fact the authorities heeded their cries for help by dispatching police patrol teams to the most dangerous section of the road, between Yaw Asoadwa Nkwanta and Akotosu, the armed robbers could still terrorize and rob people. This went on continuously until the drivers and the passengers advised themselves to stay away from harm’s way by not commuting between Kumawu and Effiduase during sunset until sunrise.

Many were the passengers and drivers who became victims of the armed robbers. Even the member of parliament for Sekyere Afram Plains constituency fell victim to them about two years ago.

However, with the anti-robber’s division of the Ghana police swinging into full action without mercy, they had either cleared all the robbers from the road dealing them fire for fire blows, or their mere unannounced presence on the road from time to time scaring away the robbers for good.

Nowadays, it is safe to travel that stretch of the road any time any day. I am myself a witness to how safe the road has become, commuting between Kumasi/Effiduase and Kumawu at various odd times in the evening between 5 pm and 10 pm without ever encountering a fly, let alone an armed robber, thanks to the anti-robbers’ police squad.

I am publishing this personal observation and experience as taken place during my six weeks holiday spent in Ghana most recently.

As a voice for the voiceless, I always interact with people to get to know their problems and what they think. Therefore, I go on public transport whenever I visit Ghana to have the opportunity to know more about the ordinary suffering people, their problems, work, intentions, and aspirations.

On a passenger bus from Kumasi to Effiduase one day, the driver in conversation said he would have loved to go to Kumawu that evening but for the armed robbers on the road. He said he had not plied the Effiduase-Kumawu road for the past four years all for the fear of encountering the notorious armed robbers, although he previously used to go to Kumawu.

Many a Kumawu passenger on the bus did tell him the road is now safe thanks to the anti-robbers’ police squad who have eliminated the armed robbers from the road, making it safe to travel on it any day any time.

Truly, plying the road is now safe!

How I hope the same level of safety on the Effiduase-Kumawu road is replicated elsewhere in Ghana to ensure commuters of their safety and security.

Finally, I say, more grease to the elbows of the anti-robbers’ police squad in Ghana. Keep up the good job of eliminating armed robberies from the system as you have embarked on. Have no mercy on the vermin called armed robbers.

Lest I forget, who is that notorious Akwala Kwaji?