'Killer' roads cause four miscarriages

At least four expectant mothers in Taha a community in the Sagnarigu district of the Northern region have had their pregnancy ended prematurely after plying the only thoroughfare linking the village to the main business center in the Tamale metropolis.

The deplorable state of roads in many parts of the district has resulted in many deaths and rising cases of maternal mortality.

This was revealed in a communal gathering on Monday when the residents trooped out in a bid to repair the damaged roads to lessen its effects on women and children.

Residents of Taha, Gbalahi, Kulaa, Bovogu, Gbramani ,Gumani and many communities cut off due to bad road network, sensing no end to their plight, came out in their numbers to do some repair works on the roads which has developed deep holes and wide cracks.

The angry residents according to Starr News sources took the action because miscarriages among their wives which caused many matrimonial disputes were becoming rampant.

Children and pregnant women also joined the communal activity which was accompanied by drumming and singing to fix the poor roads in the area.

The communities are without commercial transport and health care.

Tricycle has become the only means of transportation because of the bad nature of the roads.

Pregnant women and other patients are carried in this three -wheeled vehicle through the muddy roads to distanced health care facilities.

"“A lot of women get miscarriages on this road, because of that they are even having problems with their husbands, they think it is their fault. Anytime the pregnant women are being transported to the market on the road with a Motor Kia, it falls and you know the pregnant woman is vulnerable and will get miscarriages. Just last week we had two miscarriages, two broken legs and arms just as the result of this bad road”, a resident said.

Commercial activities in the area are crawling and farm produce are going bad. Youth in the are drifting in search of greener pastures.

The residents during the exercise chanted 'NO Road, NO VOTE' and vowed to deal with any politician who would step foot in the area to campaign.

The angry villagers also accused their assembly members of exploiting their silence.

“The assembly is siding with the politicians to deceive us, he wants to satisfy the politicians forgetting those of us who voted for him, we know he is NDC and that is why he doesn’t want us to do anything that will tarnish the party’s image in the area ", a Taha resident fumed to Starr News.

The residents also said they would go on a street protest if government fails to fix the roads.