Jomoro Chiefs call on government to fix deplorable Samenye-Half Assini road

The Chiefs of the Western Nzema Traditional Council of Jomoro Municipality in the Western Region have appealed to Akufo-Addo's Government to fix the deplorable Samenye to Half Assini road to save lives.

That stretch serves as a link between Ghana and Ivory Coast on the Eastern side of the Jomoro Municipality. Since the construction of this major road network for so many years, the road has not been receiving any improvement but has rather been claiming lives and properties.

Previous Governments have made several promises to fix the deplorable road network but failed to honour their pledges.

Welcoming the newly Western Regional Minister to the seat of the Western Nzema Traditional Council, Beyin over the weekend to familiarize himself with problems facing the area, the Divisional Chief of Nuba, Nana Simale Kpanyinli IV thanked the Regional Minister for visiting the Council to know their concerns.

He revealed that this is the first a newly Western Regional Minister has paid a visit to the good people of Jomoro and used some of his schedules to visit the Council.

Nana Simale Kpanyinli IV, appeal to the Akufo-Addo's Government as a matter of urgency fix the deplorable Samenye-Half Assini road to improve the living conditions of the people and save lives.

"We are using this opportunity to appeal to you the Regional Minister to use your high office to lobby for the construction of the road network that link Ghana to Ivory Coast, Samenye to New Town that passes through Half Assini the Municipal Capital to improve our living conditions and also save lives and properties", he appealed.

The Chief expressed his disappointment over failed promises made by the previous Governments to fix the deplorable Samenye-Half Assini road.

"We have been promising by previous Governments to fix our major road in the Municipality but till now nothing has been done about it, we the Chiefs have made a lot of appeals to them to fix it but nothing has been done and I hope you the (Regional Minister) when you were coming from Half Assini to Beyin you saw how the road network has been deteriorated, we use this route to Ivory Coast and as we are talking, Ivory Coast is constructing their road to the border at Mangyea so please this is our first appeal to you, help us", he emphasized.

Nana Simale Kpanyinli IV bemoaned the unemployment situation in the area adding that this situation is forcing some youth to involve themselves in theft and robbery.

He reminded President Akufo-Addo not to forget his promise of constructing a Fertilizer Plant in the Municipality to create jobs for the youth.

President Akufo-Addo during his first tour to the Jomoro Municipality at Half Assini in 2017, promised the Chiefs and people of the area to establish a fertilizer Plant as a result of the oil found to create jobs for the young ones.

The Chief said they are ever ready for the project and promised to support the Government to establish it.

On his part, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area, Hon. Ernest Kofie reiterated the Chief appeal on the road network.

He appealed to the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and Ghana Gas Company to assist government to fix the road for them.

Addressing the gathering, the Western Regional Minister, Hon. Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah promised to work on the request to get their road fixed.

"I have listened to your concern and I work on it for your road network to be fixed because this road is in very deplorable state and it is a concern to us all", the Regional Minister stated.

"When I was coming from Half Assini to this place I saw the road, the road is now narrow and I want to assure you that the NPP government is committed to construct it", he added.

He assured the Chiefs that the road network will be fixed by the Akufo-Addo's Government and called on them to rally behind President and his administration to develop Jomoro.

The Regional Minister revealed that the Akufo-Addo's Government is working assiduously to establish a petroleum hub in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region.

He assured them that the much-awaited fertilizer Plant will commence this year to make Jomoro attractive.

He said as a result of the coconut refinery which is yet to be established, government was going to cultivate 5 million hybrid coconut seedlings in the Western Region to support the refinery.

He said this move when materialised will create employment for the unemployed youth in the area and Ghana as a whole.