Drivers, passengers demonstrate over bad roads in Jomoro

Correspondence from Western Region

Drivers and passengers in Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region have threatened not to participate in any public election if their bad and deadly road networks in Jomoro are not fixed as soon as possible.

It would be recalled that prior to the 2020 general elections, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia came to Half Assini Police Park to cut sod for the reconstruction of the bad roads in Jomoro to be fixed within two years.

Since then, nothing has been done about the road networks, the road networks are rather deteriorating at a faster rate and claiming so many lives.

On Thursday, August 3, the drivers of Jomoro embarked on a sit-down strike and also blocked the Samenye barrier to Half Assini main road.

During the protest, the angry drivers burned car tyres on the road.

This stretch also serves as a link between Ghana and Ivory Coast. It has now turned into a death trap for passengers and drivers.

Speaking to some drivers and passengers, they expressed their disappointment in Bawumia for failing to fulfill his pledge by completing the Half Assini to Samenye barrier road within his two-year timeline.

They told GhanaWeb Western Regional Correspondent that if their road networks are not fixed before the 2024 elections, they would not vote and if possible they would be compelled to vote against the current government.



"Anytime we use this route, we get sick, the road is claiming a lot of lives. If this government fails to construct our road for us, we will not vote again", a female passenger said on her way from T1 to Jaway Wharf market.

"We the drivers are suffering and if they fail to listen to us, what happened on Thursday, will happen again and again.

My only occupation is driving work but we are suffering because of the current state of this road, all my savings have been used to buy spare parts. Meanwhile, we have wives and children, we are suffering a lot on this poor road network," an angry driver stated.

They, therefore, appealed to the government to fix their deplorable road networks in order to save lives.

"They should come and construct our roads for us because we are suffering in Jomoro. We are appealing to government to come to our aid immediately; the road network is not good at all," they pleaded.

On his part, the spokesperson for the Jomoro Concerned Drivers Union, Albert Boameye alias Fireman emphasized, "It is very sad, as concerned drivers, we pay taxes such as roadworthy and insurance but our roads in Jomoro are in a very very deplorable state."

He stated that if their roads were not fixed as soon as possible, they would continue with their demonstration.

He appealed to the government to fix the road.

"My brother when you come to Jomoro, it seems like we are not part of Ghana, we are suffering. We are appealing to this government to come and fix our road network for us. If they don't fix our roads we the Concerned Drivers Union of Jomoro will continue with our demonstration."

Watch videos of the drivers and passengers before and after the demonstration below: