Untarred road poses health threat to Taha residents

Residents of Taha have complained about the poor state of the Taha-Tamale Road which poses threat to their health as they inhale dust on the road daily.

Mr Issahaku Abdul Somed, a resident of Taha, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Taha that the consistent exposure to dust had triggered the asthmatic condition of his 16-year-old daughter, which made him visit the hospital often.

He mentioned that his daughter had been relocated following doctor's advice and expressed worry over the health of other members of his family as well as other community members, whose houses were directly affected by the dust.

Grocery shop owners and other service providers, whose shops were closer to the road, spoke about how the condition affected their health and businesses.

Miss Saida Sadat Danjumah, a grocery store owner by the Taha Road, said she was compelled to leave her baby with someone outside the Taha town to safeguard her health, adding that "even grown-ups cough always because of the dust."

She said her business was equally affected as items in the shop got dusty often restraining potential customers from getting close.

Aside from residents, vehicle users, who plied the Tamale-Taha route, were also affected by the dust on the Taha Road.

Goe Stephen, a tricycle rider said "big trucks and water tankers use this road because there's a dam at Taha. They produce more dust, which makes it uncomfortable for smaller vehicles like us and motorbikes to use the road."

Mr Abdul Karim Yabdow, Assemblyman for Taha, speaking to the GNA, said he was informed that the road construction contract had been re-awarded to another contractor about five months ago.

He said, "as an Assemblyman, I don't know who the contract has been re-awarded to, but we are organising ourselves as a community to follow up at the Urban Roads Department to find out how soon the contractor would get to the site."

He, however, urged road users plying the Taha Road to be cautious on the road saying aside the dust, rain had eroded the road making it uneasy for vehicular movements.