Some aggrieved residents and road users have registered their displeasure in more than two hours demonstration held at Kpeve in the South Dayi District over a number of abandoned and deplorable roads in the Volta region, with a call on the government to fix these roads before 2020 general elections.
In an interview with some of the demonstrators, one Kwabena, suggested that, if the central government could not allocate funds for road projects, then the regional Minister (Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who have bad roads in their areas should “use their common sense” to finding solutions to patch these roads, mostly the eastern corridor stretch.
” Tell our Regional Minister and the DCE they need to use common sense, if the government has not being able to provide funding for to finish these roads, they (Minister and DCEs) should be able to use some of the funds that they have here to contract contractors to just come and level the road to safe life.
“all of these guys managing this country have been to the University, and we have been taught how to get things done right its sad” He said.
A driver, Jerry Numado, who said he started driving since 2003 on the main Asikuma-Hohoe road shared his displeasure saying “A whole President visited us in the Volta Region in a V8 and was complaining of body pains; then what about us who sit in Opel Cadet and rickety cars, then what about our bodies? ,
“As if that is not enough, they say road worthy [certificate], yet our roads are not worthy, they’re taking money from us. When we come to the market, they tax the market women; when we are returning our cars will break down because of the road.”
Hundreds of drivers, who packed their vehicles to join the march mentioned various reasons why the roads must be fixed, the protesters wore red attires, sang war songs with placards with various inscriptions such as, instead of Nana Akufo-Addo, “Nana akpefu adu” an Ewe dialect which reads, “Nana Addo’s government is suffer to eat”.
The protesters who claimed to be a non-partisan group, revealed that, they will embark on similar demonstrations across the region until physical works are being seen on the roads. Meanwhile, the next demonstration is scheduled to happen at Sogakope over the dilapidated Sogakope bridge, which is one of the longest bridges in the country.
