Scores of frustrated residents from the Gyetiase and Tadiaso communities in the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region have taken to the streets in protest, demanding immediate action to improve their poor road infrastructure.
The residents, primarily from farming communities, have accused successive governments of neglecting their area, leaving them to deal with unconstructed and unmaintained roads for decades.
The poor state of the roads has severely impacted their daily lives, making it difficult for the residents to access essential services like healthcare and education. Many of the protesters expressed their frustration over their inability to reach hospitals in nearby towns such as Asante Mampong and Nsuta, particularly in emergencies. This lack of access has placed an undue burden on the community, forcing residents to travel long distances over rough terrain just to receive basic medical care.
Additionally, the residents pointed out that the poor road conditions have discouraged teachers and healthcare workers from accepting postings to their communities. As a result, the lack of adequate education and healthcare services has contributed to the overall underdevelopment of the area. For years, they have lived with these challenges, hoping for improvements, but feel that their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
The protest comes at a time when the government is implementing its District Road Improvement Programme, an initiative aimed at upgrading roads in rural areas and local communities. However, the residents of Gyetiase and Tadiaso feel they have been overlooked, and no work has been done to improve the roads in their area despite promises from local authorities.
Prince Dwomoh, one of the leaders of the protest, spoke passionately about the community’s grievances when interviewed by Channel One News. He explained that they had informed local leaders, including the District Chief Executive (DCE), the Member of Parliament (MP), and the Assembly Member about their concerns, but no action has been taken to address the issue.
“What we are saying is that the people of Gyetiase and surrounding communities are tired of bad roads,” Dwomoh said. “Our roads have been unconstructed and neglected since Ghana’s independence in 1957, and we have had to endure this for too long. We are tired.”
He went on to express the community’s frustration with the lack of development in their area, despite the government’s numerous road construction projects elsewhere in the country. According to Dwomoh, while they acknowledge and appreciate the government’s efforts in improving road infrastructure in other regions, the people of Gyetiase and Tadiaso feel they have been left behind.
“We are all in this country and well aware of a number of roads being constructed by the government of Ghana,” he said. “In fact, we praised the government for the many developmental projects that are being carried out across the country. But we, the people of Gyetiase and Tadiaso, are not seeing anything here. We are part of Ghana too, so we are demanding our share of the national cake.”
The protesters are adamant in their demands, warning that they will boycott the upcoming December 7 elections if their roads are not fixed. They have made it clear that unless the government takes swift action to address their concerns, they will prevent the elections from taking place in their communities. This ultimatum has placed added pressure on local authorities to respond to the residents’ demands, as a boycott could have significant implications for the electoral process in the district.
“All the top people, the DCE, the MP, the Assembly Member—they are all well aware of our situation,” Dwomoh reiterated. “We have informed them, but we have yet to see any results. If our roads are not constructed, we shall not take part in the 2024 elections.”
The protest by the residents of Gyetiase and Tadiaso is the latest in a series of public demonstrations across the country, as more communities demand better infrastructure and services from the government. With the national elections fast approaching, there is growing concern that dissatisfaction with local issues, such as poor roads, could lead to broader unrest and affect voter turnout.
As the situation continues to unfold, the residents of Gyetiase and Tadiaso remain hopeful that their voices will be heard and that the government will finally take the necessary steps to improve their roads. Until then, they have vowed to continue their protests and keep the pressure on local and national authorities to address their long-standing concerns.
The question now is whether the government will act in time to prevent the threatened election boycott, or if these farming communities will remain neglected, struggling with their daily challenges on impassable roads.
