People of Badu cry for rehabilitation of roads

Badu (B/A) June 17 GNA - The deplorable nature of the two main roads leading to Badu in Tain District of Brong Ahafo has seriously disrupted the economic and social activities of the people. The situation is so alarming that it is impossible for the people, who are predominantly peasant farmers, to cart their large quantities of maize, yam and other foodstuffs they have produced to marketing centres. The resultant effect is that the people have become poorer and cannot honour their social and economic obligations and responsibilities as parents.

Residents told newsmen their plight worsened during the rainy season when commercial drivers refused to ply the two roads, thus marooning them in their communities.

Mr. Joseph Asiedu-Kotwi, headmaster of Badu Senior High Technical School, said as a result of the worsened financial problem facing the people due to their inability to sell their produce, student drop-out rate in the school was alarming.

"The fee for a term is only GH¢ 23 per student but some cannot pay and pile up to about GH¢ 100 and then abandon school", he said. The road situation has also affected revenue generation in the community since the people cannot easily pay market tolls and other taxes that could be used for development projects. Mr. Owuba Hammond, in-charge of Badu revenue station, noted that artisans had even refused to pay the District Assembly's low tax rate of GH 50p a month because of the condition of the roads. Sergeant Kwabena Mensah, station guard and Mr. J.K. Tandoh, assistant secretary, both of the local GPRTU corroborated that because of the bad roads buyers of farm produce could not also come to Badu to transact business.

Nana Boakye Yiadom II, Omanhene of Badu Traditional area, confirmed the deplorable condition of the roads and its rippling effect on the lives of the people.

Addressing a durbar in his honour on his return from United States of America, he emphasized that the people were really handicapped and appealed to the government to come to their aid and rehabilitate the roads. He noted with regret that the reconstruction of the roads was captured in the 2007 national budget "but up till now nothing has been done about it". "The most pressing need of the people remains the rehabilitation of the roads, which must be completed before the December elections", he added. The Omanhene urged the people to bury their differences and unite so that the government could continue to complete more development projects in the area. Nana Boakye however, commended the government for the numerous development projects completed or ongoing in the area within the past seven years. He mentioned the Bui Hydro project, interventions like the school feeding programme, national youth employment programme and good governance, which he said had "propelled Ghana to stand tall among nations".