Akufo-Addo urged to fix deplorable Agona Wassa-Tarkwa road to avoid defeat in 2020

A concerned resident of Tarkwa-Nsuaem in the Western Region, Madam Afua Asamoah Magdalene has urged President Akufo-Addo to fix the deplorable Agona Wassa-Tarkwa road to avoid defeat in the area come 2020 general elections.

The Akufo-Addo-led administration has made several assurances to fix this road but nothing has been done since 2017.

As a result of these failed promises by the government, residents of the area have embarked on a series of demonstrations.

Tarkwa-Nsuaem is one of the areas in Ghana that fetches the country a lot of resources but lack quality road networks.

The current Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. George Mireku Duker who led the NPP in 2016 and gave the party the highest votes in the Western Region have been very articulate in getting this deplorable road fixed and have made several appeals to authorities but his appeals have not been heard.

But in a letter addressed to President Akufo-Addo, sighted by Daniel Kaku indicated that, "Mr. President, I know on the matter of roads like any other sector, The sector Minister is in charge in putting together by way of selecting the roads to fix in conjecture with other stakeholders and by extension the party. A 5km-road network for the good people of Tarkwa-Nsuaem has been in a terrible state for almost 3 years now".

She emphasized that "The highly esteemed chiefs of the land of Wassa demonstrated to express the frustrations the bad 5km road is affecting their people. The Honorable Minister of Roads & Highways led by Hon. Duker paid a courtesy call on Chiefs of the Land and gave us hope".

She opined that "Mr. President, this is a town with three major mining companies. The monetary contribution of Tarkwa to our country’s cash flows is great and greater than that of my small village at the south of Volta with less commercial activities there with neatly asphalted roads there (not to mean they don’t deserve)".

"In the end, we as a nation by virtue of how allocations are done set up unnecessary tension among mineral resource endowed areas who are deprived of basic needs. They confirm they have been a clear case of the Resource Curse Hypothesis", she added.

The Concerned Resident noted that "Mr. President, because of that unfixed 5km Road network for the good people of Tarkwa and its environs, every good thing being undertaken by your government is overshadowed".

"The unprecedented efforts of our first time MP is quite blurred because of that tiny unfixed road network", she continued.

She, therefore, stated that if the Akufo-Addo-led Administration failed to construct this deplorable road it will affect the NPP electoral fortunes in the area in 2020 adding that if some appointees are sabotaging the MP then that must be stopped because the MP has only a vote.

"If it is a sabotage being staged by any of your appointee (s) against the MP of the area of whatever, we should know the MP has just one vote which will surely go for the NPP but can’t determine where the over 80,000+ eligible voters in the Constituency will direct their votes to if that tiny stretch of road is not fixed", she opined.

She stressed that Party communicators are facing a Herculean task in Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency just because of that tiny stretch of road".

Below is the full statement

Tarkwa-Nsuaem Roads

Afua Asamoah Magdalene writes,

A Letter to the President, H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Dear Sir,

Over the weekend, your hardworking Government announced a GHc1.5 billion package meant for 14 major road projects in our great country.

I commend the government of which I worked soo hard for to come into power.

My only concern has to be with the mode of selection of those roads, not to mean they aren’t important to the catchment areas. Not to mean they aren’t part of our country but just feels a critical tiny road which has courted the “ugly” eyes of our National Media has been neglected.

Mr. President, I know on the matter of roads like any other sector, The sector Minister is in charge in putting together by way of selecting the roads to fix in conjecture with other stakeholders and by extension the party. A 5km-road network for the good people of Tarkwa-Nsuaem have been in a terrible state for almost 3 years now.

The hardworking MP of the area, Hon. George Mireku Duker who led the party in 2016 and gave the NPP the highest votes in the region have been very articulate in getting this road fixed and have made all authorities aware of the road issue and still working on it.

The Municipal Assembly have done their best.

The citizens staged a first demonstration.

The highly esteemed chiefs of the land of Wassa demonstrated to express the frustrations the bad 5km road is affecting their people.

The Honorable Minister of Roads & Highways led by Hon. Duker paid a courtesy call on Chiefs of the Land and gave us hope.

A demonstration followed up again and the response has been quite the same with microscopic efforts by authority.

Mr. President, this is a town with three major mining companies. The monetary contribution of Tarkwa to our country’s cash flows is great and greater than that of my small village at the south of Volta with less commercial activities there with neatly asphalted roads there (not to mean they don’t deserve).

In the end, we as a nation by virtue of how allocations are done set up unnecessary tension among mineral resource endowed areas who are deprived of basic needs. They confirm they have been a clear case of the Resource Curse Hypothesis.

Mr. President, because of that unfixed 5km Road network for the good people of Tarkwa and its environs, every good thing being undertaken by your government is overshadowed.

The unprecedented efforts of our first time MP is quite blurred because of that tiny unfixed road network.

And whenever your good government announces road infrastructure contracts in the news, the people feel they aren’t valued and respected.

And the strength of the fortunes of the party we fought for in the area is quite dwindling kind courtesy the propaganda hymns of the NDC about the road aided by some internal regime change hymn singers of our party, NPP here in Tarkwa.

If it is a sabotage being staged by any of your appointee (s) against the MP of the area of whatever, we should know the MP has just one vote which will surely go for the NPP but can’t determine where the over 80,000+ eligible voters in the Constituency will direct their votes to if that tiny stretch of road is not fixed.

Party communicators are facing a Herculean task in Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency just because of that tiny stretch of road.

Mr. President, the holy books indicated that to whom much is given, much is expected.

Tarkwa gives much and if much wasn’t given to her from time immemorial, with all due respect kindly give her the 5km stretch of road for the moment.

Mr. President, should this get to you, kindly let the people of Tarkwa feel your unprecedented good works by giving them a befitting road network.

We may be optimistic of our re-election but we shouldn’t hurt the safe havens of our electoral fortunes.

Mr. President, please enjoy your day.

Thank you.