Zuarungu-Zonno community appeals for good roads

Correspondence from Upper East

Residents of Zuarungu-Zonno in the Bolgatanga East District have appealed to authorities to improve the Zonno-Gbane road to make the area easily accessible.

The residents have also appealed for bridges and speed bumps to be constructed on all major routes in the area to make movement during rainy seasons easier and check reckless driving.

This appeal was made, Thursday, at a social auditing forum organized by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). During the forum, the members of the community were educated on the need to hold duty bearers responsible for development projects.

Some residents who spoke to GhanaWeb after the engagement bemoaned the deplorable nature of roads in Zonno, especially the Zonno-Gbane road, stating it has become unsafe due to the reckless driving by illegal miners.

They said the attitude of motorists on the road had become a great threat to their lives, hence the need for an urgent action to be taken.

Failure on the part of authorities to do the needful, they said, would leave them with no option but to erect the speed bumps themselves.

“The roads in Zonno are very bad. This road (pointing to the road) is a big road in Zonno leading to a galamsey site in Gbane and when they ply this road, they speed a lot. We are appealing to authorities to construct the road or build speed ramps to slow the speeding and save lives. Otherwise, we will construct our own speed ramps which may be illegal,” said the resident.

The residents also said a major bridge which was built in Zonno-Zore by incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Dominic Ayine, following their incessant complains is on the verge of collapse, putting unbearable stress on road users whenever the rains come heavily.

The issues of a toilet facility for the community health compound, safe drinking water, furniture for the community basic school and an ICT centre were also topmost in their appeals.

The District Coordinating Director, Nar-Ire Puobenyere David, responding to the concerns of the community in an interview with GhanaWeb disclosed that a detailed list of roads to be constructed in the district, including the Zonno-Gbane road, has been submitted to the Ministry of Roads and Highways for consideration, assuring that work on that stretch would soon start.

He said just like works have begun on road projects such as the Zuarungu Moshie-Dachio-Katanga road and Gambibgo-Nyarigabisi stretch, due attention would also be given the Zonno road project.

On the speed bumps, Mr. Nar-Ire who acknowledged that they were necessary corrective measures for the prevention of accidents, implored residents to use proper channels to get clearance to build them. He added that the Assembly was seriously working around the clock to address that issue.

In a related development, the Bolgatanga East District Director of the NCCE, Sadia Baba Sampanah, has urged the Zonno community members to actively participate in the development process of the area.

Mrs. Sampanah in her admonition to them said folding their arms unconcerned and allowing office holders to solely make decisions was unhealthy for the development of the community.

She said when community members join efforts with authorities, duty bearers would be responsible which would in turn accelerate development.