Former Presidents neglected roads in Eastern region – NPP secretary

The NPP Secretary for the Abirem Constituency Osei Yeboah says the Eastern Region has poor road network because no past president hailed from the region.

According to him, from Ghana’s first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah to immediate past President John Dramani Mahama each has contributed unsatisfactory over the construction of road networks in the Eastern Region adding none of them hailed from the area.

Speaking on Agoo FM on Saturday 9th January 2020, Mr. Yeboah stated “Eastern Region does not have quality roads, we have just about two asphalt roads (Nkawkaw-Atibie and few parts of Aburi) which is sad but there is a history behind it.

“Eastern Region has not had a leadership at the top before until by God’s grace Nana Akufo-Addo came in as Eastern pride… from Dr Kwame Nkrumah (he was from the Western Region), Busia who was a UP tradition hailed from Bono, to Chairman Rawlings who ruled about 20 years (Volta) and J A Kuffour who comes from the Ashanti Region, Late Evans Attah Mills hailed from the Central and John Dramani Mahama also comes from the North, so this is the only time we’ve had a rep from the Eastern Region, so we must all support him in prayers for quality roads.’’

He, therefore, commended the president for declaring 2020 and 2021 as years of roads adding that, Ghana has for the first time seen massive development so far as the construction of roads is concerned, “we can all attest to it that, constructors are on sites”.

According to him, six major towns in Abirem Constituency have benefited from road network which has seen a massive improvement.

Eastern Region is among the region with poor road networks. Last year, the immediate past Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Kennedy Osei Nyarkoh expressed concern about poor roads in the area.

The Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru said the situation has negatively affected the health and well-being of people there for decades.

He said it takes commuters longer period to cover short distances especially on those that link farming communities to urban centres. Other panel members who appeared on the program today also raised concerns about the poor state of roads in Kwahu appealing to the government to pay much attention to these problems.

A lecturer at the Presbyterian University College Ghana, Abetifi Campus Dr Michael Ayertey Nanor and 2016 Independent Candidate for Mpraeso Constituency Frederick Kwasi Frempong expressed worry over the situation.