Residents of Ga West Municipality protest over poor roads
Hundreds of residents of five communities in the Ga West Municipality in Accra blocked the main Afuaman-Manhean-Ablekuma road last Monday to publicly protest the deplorable state of roads in the municipality.
The protest from the residents disrupted traffic flow and caused a gridlock on the main road linking Ablekuma and Manhean.
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Between 2a.m. and 8a.m., the residents, led by commercial vehicle drivers and traditional leaders from the five communities, had mounted barriers on the road, leaving commuters stranded.
The five protesting communities were Manhean, Afoaman, Oduman, Nsakina and Joman.
Some of the residents wore red bands around their necks, heads and waists, and erected human walls by holding hands. Meanwhile, others who were in red T-shirts and other red apparel prevented vehicles, including motorbikes, from moving to and fro.
At a suburb called Block Factory, the residents burnt used car tyres and prevented people and vehicles from moving.
People leaving for work and to transact business in other parts of the city had to look for alternative routes.
The road blockade also affected communities beyond the Ga West Municipality and had an effect on people living in places such as Ablekuma Curve to Joma and Obeyeyie, which are along the bypass from Accra to Amasaman and link Amasaman to Kasoa.
Ultimatum
As part of the protest, the Secretary to a group that identified itself as a coalition of traditional leaders, commercial vehicle drivers and commercial motorbike riders from the five communities, Nii Kwartei Quartey, addressed journalists.
He claimed they were on a peaceful protest to send an urgent message across to the President, the Municipal Chief Executive of the Ga West Municipal Assembly, Mr Clement Nii Lamptey Wilkinson, and other stakeholders to get roads in the municipality rehabilitated.
He said commuting on the roads had become frightening and dangerous for both drivers and passengers.
He said residents in the area went through a lot of struggle due to the bad nature of the road network.
The coalition, under the circumstance, issued a two-week ultimatum to the authorities concerned to intervene and get the roads repaired or "we will advise ourselves by holding massive protests."
“No road, no vote. We will not vote in the next general election if our roads are not fixed,” Nii Quartey said.
Contractor
Work on the road is said to have stalled since 2015 when the contractor, Arch Adwo Construction Limited, completed the construction of drains along the stretch.
"We have notified the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Wilkinson, on many occasions but all he has given us has been assurances. Mind you, the road has been this bad since 2016 and we are yet to see anything concrete being done," Nii Quartey said.
The group is also appealing to the President and the Judicial Service to acquit and discharge eight coalition members who were arrested in earlier protest marches organised by drivers of the G.P.R.T.U of T.U.C and are currently standing trial, since their actions were geared towards the betterment of the municipality.
