The residents of Asitey in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region have expressed frustration over government's failure to give their road network a good facelift.

The road, which serves as a link between the community and Adjikpo, a suburb of Somanya as well as the community’s town roads, are in a terrible state.

Bemoaning the poor state of the road, Assemblyman for the area, Edmund Asare said, "The roads here are not that good, it's not even something I'll call a road."

The situation, he added, was particularly bad for small vehicles which found it difficult navigating through the pothole ridden stretches.

According to him, passengers are denied transportation to certain areas as drivers refuse their request to be taken there.

Asked what benefits the community stand to gain if the road is fixed, he answered: "Everybody will benefit from this road if it's done because it'll even make us have people renting in the area knowing that every time, they'll get access to transport."

According to him, improving on the road network situation would also increase commercial activities in the Asitey community.

Poor sanitation

The open surroundings have become the preferred site for some residents to attend to nature’s call.

The dumping of refuse along the roadside has also become a major habit amongst some of the residents as they struggle to tackle the poor sanitary condition in the area.

Mr. Edmund Asare said the lack of waste disposal containers was a problem for the community. According to him, residents, out of frustration, tied their garbage in plastics and dumped them by the wayside.

“You see the wayside, people are just putting their waste by the roadside, they’ll tie it in a rubber bag and just drop it off,” he said, adding that the situation is so alarming.

Asked about what efforts he was undertaking as Assemblyman to discourage the practice of improper waste disposal in the face of the lack of a proper waste disposal system, he answered, “we’re organizing community by community programs to educate them.”

According to him, spelling out the dangers of living in an unhealthy environment to the residents is also being done as part of the education.

According to him, open defecation was also rife in the community. He said residents without household toilet facilities prefer easing themselves in the open rather than resorting to the dilapidated public toilet facility in the community.

“We have some (public toilet facilities) but they’re all in bad shape because it’s been like almost 20 to 30 years,” he said.

He’s therefore calling on the local Assembly to ensure that it tackles the sanitation challenges confronting the community.

As part of efforts to raise revenue to fix the deplorable road network, he proposed that companies like GHACEM and others winning limestone from surrounding mines contribute their quota towards addressing the situation, particularly as their trucks ply the road on a daily basis.