Begin fixing Tarkwa roads within two weeks - Residents to gov't

A group of residents of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region have given the government a two-week ultimatum to commence refurbishment works on their roads or brace itself for another mammoth demonstration.

The group issued the threat after staging a 15-hour long protest that saw the blocking of the link road from Takoradi to the Tarkwa Township.

The protest disrupted traffic causing gridlock on the over 10-kilometre main road.

Residents burnt tyres and mounted barriers on the road leaving commuters stranded.

This was unlike past demonstrations where minerals hauling trucks which residents believe are responsible for the fast deterioration of the highway, were not allowed to cross.

One of the leaders of the group, Tony Nkrumah-Boateng warned they will not relent on their efforts in pushing for their rightful share of the national cake.

“The leadership has given the authorities a two-week ultimatum so let’s see how they respond,” he told Citi News.

Some of the residents’ anger stems from concerns that the community does receive enough revenue from the major economic activity in the area.

The residents feel that more of the gains from mineral revenue should be channelled into infrastructure.

The Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality is one of the leading producers of gold in Ghana.

Heavy-duty vehicles transporting cocoa, bauxite and Manganese for export to the Takoradi Harbor also use the road, putting pressure on that stretch of road.

In September 2018, some Tarkwa chiefs led residents to block roads in protest grinding economic activities to a halt.

The angry residents demonstrating said the government has taken them for granted and also petitioned the Municipal Chief Executive for the area on the matter.

Messrs Asabea Constructions is the contractor that has been patching up the road over the last three years though its work is considered a short term measure scuttled by the rainy season.

5 arrested in Tarkwa Nsuaem for ‘illegally’ demonstrating over bad road
Five people have been arrested in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in connection with a demonstration over bad roads on Wednesday.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Acting Divisional Commander for Tarkwa Nsuaem Police Division, Superintendent Robert Kobil said the five were arrested for carrying on with the protest despite an order from the Police asking them to stop.

“We have arrested about five people. After talking to these five and appealing to their conscience [to end the demonstration] for so long they were still adamant,” he said.

The protest disrupted traffic causing gridlock on the over 10-kilometre Tarkwa-Ahietieso stretch of the main road.

By: Anass Seidu | citinewsroom.com | Ghana

Source: citifmonline.com