Massive demo to hit government over deplorable roads in Volta Region

A huge number of non-partisan youths in the Volta region are expected to embark on a massive demonstration against abandoned developmental projects in the region.

These concerned youths who have already started an online campaign against bad roads across the region, ‘#FIX VOLTA ROADS’, are gradually gaining the minds of more young people in the region to pressure the government to fix the roads.

Some infrastructural projects in the Volta started by the previous government—NDC seemed to be abandoned most of which are roads including the controversial eastern corridor road, a dual carriage road from Sokode to the regional capital Ho.

The rests are the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) by-pass to join Ho-Aflao highway, an urban road from Ho to a farming community called Kpenoe, Vakpo – Wusuta Kpeve road, Vakpo – Tsrukpe – Tsorxor PH3, Anfoega Post Office- Aveti Road and butia-Kisifli road.

Other deplorable roads such as Sokode-Kpeve feeder road, Juapong-Ho highway, Ho-Aflao highway, among other urban and feeder roads in the region.

It could be recalled that President Akufo-Addo on his tour of the Volta region shared his experience using the roads and promised to fix them.

“The roads throughout our country are in poor shade…today I’ve come on the eastern corridor road and I didn’t sleep one inch… how can I sleep on this road and that’s why I want to go out to see it for myself what is going on, we are going to fix it, Amoako (Road Minister) has told you he is going to fix it, we are going to fix it and you will see that the roads have been fixed,” the President said at his welcome durbar in Hohoe on 11th July 2018.

It has since been a year and a couple of months after that promise and nothing is being done. According to local reports, more than 200 persons were involved in accidents between 2018 and 2019 on the eastern corridor road only, out of which about 60% lives were lost.

Following this, the Communication outfit of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta region have also shown interest to join the youths in the demonstration before the close of 2019.

According to the Communication Officer of the party in the region, Kafui Agbleze the NDC realized that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has abandoned most developmental projects that the John Mahama administration had started in the Volta region and in other parts of the country hence the need to join the campaign to push for progress.

They indicated that the demonstration would be entitled “FIX ABANDONED VOLTA ROADS”.

What is happening on Sokode-Ho dual road?

The Sokode-Ho dual road is paramount to many Voltarians and a recent visit to the road observed that works are still not ongoing on the Ho dual carriage road including the UHAS by-pass which are to be a modernized dual roads leading to the regional capital Ho, contractors have laid down their tools due to non-payment of their monies.

On the site, vehicles, machines, bulldozers, among other machinery are all parked, some of which are on flat tires.

The stretch is full of potholes, dangerous stones erected on the stretch, erosion at some points and dust making driving very complicating.

The situation along the eastern corridor road is the same; all types of vehicles are seen dangling and dodging potholes to make their moves. However, there are no contractors along those stretches.

Meanwhile, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa including the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta on several occasions mentioned that funds have been allocated for the road projects to resume.