Krobos demand action as anger boils over bad roads

Correspondence from Eastern Region

Hundreds of residents, drivers, traders, and youth groups from the Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo municipalities of the Eastern Region, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, poured onto the streets of Somanya and Odumase-Krobo in a massive demonstration to protest the deplorable state of the Somanya–Kpong road.

The march, which began at the Somanya roundabout and ended at the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly, was organised by a coalition of Krobo youth groups led by Kloma Hengme and the Dangme Youth for Development (DYFD).

Chanting “Kloma Maa Ya No Kokooko!” (Kroboland will develop), the demonstrators carried placards with bold inscriptions such as “We will not allow election-time roads anymore,” “Fix Akuse to Asutuare road,” and “The President appointed many but they’re failing us," amongst others.

The protesters submitted a petition addressed to His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, demanding immediate government intervention to fix what they describe as a “daily affliction and symbol of neglect.”

The petition was received on behalf of the President by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Lower Manya Krobo, John Atter Matey.

A Road of National Importance, Left to Decay

The Somanya–Odumase–Kpong road is a critical transport artery linking the Krobo area to the Volta Region and the Akosombo–Tema industrial corridor. The road facilitates the movement of goods, including heavy limestone-laden trucks, between key industrial sites and communities.

However, what was last reconstructed in 2016 by First Sky Construction Limited has, according to residents, “deteriorated beyond tolerable limits.”

In their petition, the protesters detailed how years of neglect, coupled with the impact of heavy-duty trucks, have rendered the stretch nearly impassable. The coalition accused successive governments of failing to adopt road materials strong enough to handle industrial traffic.

They recounted how the project was re-awarded under the NPP government in 2024 as part of the Nkurakan–Trom road package, with work progressing steadily until a “change of government” in January 2025 led to an abrupt halt, reportedly due to non-payment of contractors.

Since then, the road has degenerated into deep potholes and thick dust, causing what the petitioners describe as “hazardous driving conditions” and “daily suffering for motorists, schoolchildren, traders, and health workers.”

Public Health and Economic Toll

The petition further outlined the devastating health and economic consequences of the neglected road. Residents have reportedly experienced increasing cases of respiratory infections, eye diseases, and chronic coughs due to constant exposure to dust.

“Vehicle maintenance costs have doubled, transport fares have gone up, and drivers now avoid the route altogether,” the statement said, adding that ambulances carrying critical patients often struggle to reach health facilities on time.

Small businesses along the corridor are said to be collapsing due to reduced accessibility and customer traffic. “It’s no longer sustainable,” the petitioners stressed, calling the situation a public health emergency and a development injustice.

Political Undertones and Civic Outcry

The demonstrators also raised concerns about what they described as the government’s “uneven attention” to development needs across the country. The petition reminded the President that the Krobo area has been a long-standing political stronghold of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) but continues to face persistent neglect in road infrastructure.

“The patience of the Krobo people has been stretched beyond endurance,” the petition warned, urging the President to act within 60 days or face further civil action.

MCE Acknowledges Concerns, Promises Action

Receiving the petition, MCE John Atter Matey commended the demonstrators for maintaining peace and order, describing their action as a legitimate exercise of democratic rights.

“I assure you that I will forward your petition through the Eastern Regional Minister to President Mahama. The contract for the reconstruction of the road has already been awarded, and minor works are ongoing ahead of major construction,” he stated.

The MCE further assured residents that “in no time, Lower Manya will change,” promising that the government was committed to delivering lasting infrastructure improvements in the area.

A Call for Accountability and Urgency

The demonstration adds to growing public frustration in Eastern Region communities where stalled road projects have disrupted economic activities and worsened living conditions. For the people of Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo, the message is clear: they want roads, not promises.

As one placard boldly declared, “We can’t fix our families when the roads are bad.”

With their petition now in the hands of the Presidency, the Krobo people await not another assurance, but visible action on the ground.