Correspondence from Eastern Region

The chiefs and people of Larteh Kubease Akuapem in the Akuapem-North District of the Eastern Region have lamented over the deplorable nature of the road network leading to and in the community.

The roads are severely deteriorated making it difficult for residents to access basic social amenities, especially during rainy seasons. Also, the roads does not only deprive them of basic amenities, but also threatens their lives and properties.

The youth of the area are therefore threatening to mobilize and embark on a demonstration against the government to drum home their demand if nothing was done to address the problem.

They also threatened to boycott the 2024 elections if the roads were not fixed in the Benkum Division of the Akuapem traditional Area. The Twafohene of Larteh Kubease, who doubles as the Kyidomhene of Akuapem Adweso, Osaberimah Kwame Asah Tawiah, noted that they have realised that successive governments have failed to pay the needed attention to the deplorable nature of the major economic roads in
the Larteh district.

According to him, the situation posed a challenge to the community dwellers along the stretch of the road who are mostly farmers with challenges of transporting their farm produce to the market centers.

“The road is bad, it’s in a terrible shape and this is bordering us and so if you’re travelling late from Accra to Larteh and you’re without a vehicle, you won’t get a vehicle to Larteh because the drivers close very early due to the situation, by eight or nine, the whole area is quiet,” she said.

Appealing to the government to intervene, Osaberimah Kwame Asah Tawiah said, “we’re appealing to government to construct the road for us…we’ve spoken about this severally, not just with this government but previous governments as well.”

She was worried that the town had been neglected in terms of infrastructural development to assist in the transportation of foodstuffs from the area to
the surrounding communities and Greater Accra.

Osaberima Nana Asiedu Okoo III, Lartehene and Benkumhene also expressed regret at the situation.

“From the Larteh junction to Larteh is in a very bad shape, said the chief. From Larteh junction to Larteh, from Larteh to Ayikuma is in a very bad shape. We would support a governing group; we would support anybody who is prepared to support us in ensuring that our roads are well done", he said.

A driver, Kofi Nyarko, has used the road over the past twenty-six years driving to and from Koforidua. He described the situation as 'very bad' with several appeals to have the road fixed falling on deaf ears.

“It is very bad; we’ve complained severally and there’s nothing more we can do. Drivers mostly feel reluctant coming to Larteh because of the bad road…the other day, my ‘raising bar’ broke due to this,” he complained bitterly, adding that they have been forced to buy spare parts severally.

According to him, the road hasn’t seen any rehabilitation since its construction several decades ago and appealed to the government to intervene by paying urgent attention to get the problem addressed.

A sixty-year-old woman, Wilhelmina Asiedua who has lived all her life at Larteh bemoaned the situation and also complained about it.

“The people of Larteh want to tell Nana Akufo-Addo that we love his government but we don’t get any development in this community…our road is very bad,” the
elderly woman appealed.

She further stated that transporting sick persons on referrals to major health facilities was a difficult situation which further deteriorated the condition of the patient.

Eastern Regional Minister’s assurances

Responding to the pleas of the people, Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong admitted that the road was in a horrible shape but disclosed that officials of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) had already undertaken an assessment pending the award of contract by the sector ministry for start of works.

Acheampong expressed optimism that works on the road would commence by the end of the year.

“Indeed the Larteh junction, Larteh road down to Ayikuma is a major economic road for our region and ever since I’ve been here I’ve been pursuing it and I know how dearly it is to the evergreen…and we have been working closely with the Ghana Highway Authority who is the owner of the corridor, this is a major trunk road and so it falls under the Ghana Highway Authority so we got the highway authority regional director to come over and assess it for us and so far we are at the ministry pushing to get a contractor to take it over and so I believe by the year we should have a contractor come on the road,” the minister assured.

He attributed the delay to “the challenges the administration went through in respect of managing our economy,” adding that most earmarked projects have been affected.