Drivers and residents of Akyem Aduasa, a cocoa-farming hub in the Birim South District, are sounding an urgent alarm over the deteriorating state of their road network.
The community claims the neglected infrastructure is not only “killing” their vehicles but also strangling the local economy.
Despite being a major contributor to Ghana’s cocoa production, Akyem Aduasa remains trapped in a cycle of dust and mud.
Deep potholes and unpaved surfaces have made transportation nearly impossible, directly hitting the pockets of local farmers and drivers alike.
Farmers are struggling to move produce to nearby markets.
Furthermore, due to the high risk of vehicle damage, drivers have hiked transport charges, leaving farmers with little to no profit.
Meanwhile, drivers report that their daily earnings are being swallowed by the constant need for expensive spare parts.
The frustration on the ground has evolved into political defiance.
Many drivers have vowed to boycott future elections, citing a total lack of representation in Parliament.
”We don’t see the need to vote anymore. Our MP is in his fourth term, yet he hasn’t been able to lobby for this road to be fixed,” one driver lamented.
Another driver suggested a more superstitious reason for the stagnation: “I believe there is a spell on this road.
Five different contractors have been awarded this project since 2017, yet nothing changes even while roads in neighboring districts are being paved.”
The tension recently reached a boiling point when drivers moved to officially increase fares.
It took the timely intervention of the Chief of Akyem Aduasa, Osabarima Abrokwa Gyampem VI, to calm the situation and persuade drivers to rescind the decision for the sake of the residents.
Residents are now calling on the government to treat the Swedru-Aduasa-Apoli road as a matter of national urgency.
They believe that fixing this stretch is the only way to restore the dignity of the farming community and boost the local economy.
By 1960news.com
