Passengers appeal to Highway Authority to repair road

Apeatu (E/R), Nov. 9, GNA - Travellers on the Suhum - Nsawam road in the Eastern Region, have appealed to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to take immediate steps to repair a damaged portion of that road at Apeatu near Amanase. They cautioned that the damag ed road could cause accidents that would result in several deaths, if it is not taken serious. Passengers had classified the Suhum - Nsawam stretch of the road forming part of the Accra - Kumasi International Route, as the most dangerous portion. It had also been described as a death trap. Passengers, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), at a particular spot of the road where it is very dangerous, said though the government had plans to construct the route into a first class road, at least some repair works on the damaged portions of the road should be effected.

In recent times, articulated trucks, and other mini-trucks carrying charcoal and foodstuffs run into ditches at the Apietu curve, over-seeing Amanase. Those, who had been using the road frequently, accused the GHA of not maintaining the road, saying: "They do not have mercy for travellers".

The GNA observed that a portion of the road, which stretches about 300 metres, had lost the entire tarring and had become muddy and undulating, as well as without any drainage by the sides of the road. The potholes had become very wide as a result of the torrential rains in the area, rendering that portion of the Accra - Kumasi road virtually impassable.