Work on Sefwi road to resume by December following demo

The District Chief Executive of Juaboso, Madam Martha Kwayie Manu, has assured residents and chiefs that work on the Benchema-Osei Kojokrom road will resume by December.

Speaking on her behalf by the District Coordinating Director, Emmanuel Esiape, the DCE said financial approval has almost been granted for the project to resume.

This follows a demonstration by residents on Monday, October 28.

The demonstration saw irate residents block a portion of the road and burnt tyres, sending a message to government for work to restart.

The road is one of the cocoa roads projects undertaken by the previous Mahama-led government.

But when the Akufo-Addo-led government took over the reins in 2017, a review of the projects across the country has led to the suspension of several of them.

Demonstrating residents threatened to smuggle cocoa and other produce from the district to neighbouring La Cote d’Ivoire as roads heading to the west are better in comparison to the Benchema-Osei Kojokrom road.

But barely a day after the protest, the Assembly says the attention of not only the Minister of Roads and Highways but also the president has been drawn to the road.

“And let me assure you that with the encouraging news the DCE brought, if we are lucky by December, a contractor will be on the road to work on it,” Mr Esiape said.

He added that the demonstration on Monday is a blessing in disguise as he sees it as “an add-up effort which will even push the Minister [of Roads and Highways] the more”.

The District Coordinating Director said as of last week heavy-duty machines had been brought to site for preparatory work to begin.

“That’s just an interim measure. The right thing will be done by December.”