NDC stronghold Ashaiman gave NPP 36K votes; fix our roads – Protesters to government

Residents of Ashaiman on Tuesday, 3 October 2023, embarked on a protest to register their displeasure with the government over the poor state of the road network in the area.

The Ashaiman intersection which connects to places including Adjei Kojo, Ashaiman to Tema-Akosombo highway, and Ashaiman-Oyibi-Somanya road was blocked by the residents during the protest.

The residents who were clad in red and black, were wielding placards, some of which read: “We pay taxes, fix our roads; Fix our roads to keep our business; You are not employing us but you are killing our businesses with lack of accessibility; GPRTU/Taxi drivers we are fed up driving on bad roads in Ashaiman,” among others.

Millicent Apraku, a resident told journalists although Ashaiman was perceived as a stronghold of the NDC, during the 2020 elections, the governing NPP amassed 36,000 votes.

She indicated that due to the bad state of the road their journeys to work are prolonged unnecessarily.

She noted: “Ashaiman deserves better, we’re dying.”

A male protestor also stressed that it is the duty of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, to push for the roads to be fixed though it is not the duty of an MP to fix roads.

“We know the MP doesn’t fix roads, right. So he should be our mouthpiece. He must go to the assembly to make things happen but we always hear my government is not in power so I can do nothing,” he said.

The Ashaiman residents are demanding that the government prioritises fixing their roads.