Hundreds of drivers at Asamankese, the municipal capital of West Akyem
in the Eastern Region on Tuesday held a spontaneous protest over the
deplorable roads in the area.
Leadership of the taxi drivers association had originally scheduled to
meet the Municipal Chief Executive, Seth Oduro-Boadu ahead of a planned
demonstration at a later date, but the angry taxi drivers who operate in
Asamankese township and its environs parked their cars and trooped to
the Municipal Assembly amidst chanting war songs to express their
sentiment over the poor state of roads in the area.
The protest led to a blockade of a major road in front of the Municipal
Assembly and the District Police Station causing gridlock for close to
an hour.
The police in attempt to control the chaotic situation fired warning
shots to disperse the protestors from the main road infuriating the
drivers but the situation was brought under control.
“This is not a planned demonstration. Our leaders told us the MCE wanted
to meet us this morning so yesterday there was an announcement, so we
stopped everybody from working and we have all marched here. The most
pressing road that needs urgent attention is the hospital road, that
road is so bad that even pregnant women give birth in cars because the
car can’t move faster”.
“All your car will be soaked with blood you can’t even work again.
People in critical condition die on that road because instead of using 2
minutes to rush to the hospital u can spend 20 minutes on that
stretch,” a driver lamented.
Another driver told the media that, “Akufo Addo should release funds for
the construction of the roads. We have given them just one month. The
warning shots by the commander were laughable because we don’t fear
bullet but we came in peace today the next time we hit the street and he
tries that thing we will let them know how radical we are”.
He added “we had wanted to demonstrate because we have met the MCE twice
about this problem but nothing has been done about the roads, however,
the Police Commander says because he is new he will like us to meet the
MCE, when we came the MCE said he is not a controller. So we want the
commander to grant our request for the demonstration else we will meet
them boot for boot.”
Addressing the media, the MCE Seth Oduro-Boadu concurred with the angry
drivers about the poor nature of roads in the town but hastened to add
that Asamankese town roads have been awarded for Construction.
“It is regrettable how they trooped here to demonstrate had the police
not acted professionally it would have turned into a confrontation. It
is a fact that Asamankese town roads are in deplorable condition but the
roads have been awarded to a contractor which the contractors are
working on, they have completed the first face and raised certificates
for payment so if they are paid they will return to sites.”
