Motorists, residents along Kwabenya-Ashesi University road lament worsening state of road network

Transport represents one of the most important human activities worldwide. It is an indispensable component of the economies of countries and plays a major role in spatial relations, helping create valuable links between regions and economic activities, between people and the rest of the world.

Among the many importance of transport is its key role in specialization allowing production and consumption of products to occur at different locations.

Better transport allows more trade and a greater spread of people. Economic growth has always been dependent on increasing the capacity and rationality of transport.

However, poor road infrastructure hinders road transport and curtails societal development and mobility.

One such case of bad roads is what some residents and motorists on the Kwabenya-Ashesi University road are struggling to cope with.

Residents and motorists along that stretch told AmaGhana Online that the bad nature of the road was putting the lives of pedestrians and passengers at risk.

They also complained about the muddy and slippery nature of the roads whenever it rained, making it difficult for them to move to their destinations.

The Kwabenya road serves as a bypass route through Comet, Berekuso, Kitase, and other surrounding towns towards Peduase Lodge and Aburi, but such a busy road has been left in tatters.

The residents explained that the road to Ashesi University in Kitase Akwapim was in very bad shape, the same as the road from Asheshi to Berekuso.

The residents, who are mostly traders, said the dust from the road was posing health and economic challenges.

A market woman (Name withheld), said the access roads that link the various communities to the major road were in a deplorable state, preventing traders and residents from going to the market anytime it rained.

The Kwabenya residents of the Ga East Municipality of the Greater Accra Region are therefore appealing to authorities to prioritize the rehabilitation of their roads.

To make matters worse, a community-based educational institution, Sterling International School has also lost half of its student population due to the deplorable road network.

In an interview with AmaGhana Online, a taxi driver stated that the new MCE of Ga East should help fix the deplorable roads in the municipality to gain the support of the residents in his administration.

He added that the Municipality generated enough revenue but was denied development and lamented that Taxi and Commercial drivers spent all their savings on spare parts due to the bad state of the road networks within the municipality.

He explained that criminals also took advantage of the poor state of the roads and attacked residents who went about their normal duties; when the roads were in good shape the Police could respond promptly to combat any criminal activities.

Other residents also expressed similar sentiments and tasked authorities to move on the ground, and engage strategic stakeholders, traditional leaders, traders, commercial drivers, politicians, and religious leaders.

The residents noted that periodic engagement with the people would help them appreciate the task on the ground, and mobilize the people to support and execute it.