Union appeals to government to tar Atebubu-Kojokrom road

The Krachi Union in Kumasi has appealed to the government to award the 30-km Basa-Kojokrom road in the Sene district of Brong Ahafo on contract as a matter of urgency.

The Union has also called for the tarring of the entire stretch of road from Atebubu to Kojokrom, describing it as one of the very old trunk roads which must be recognised as such and not as feeder road as it was been treated presently.

Making the appeal at Kajaji at the week-end after the union had taken a trip on the road from Atebubu to Kojokrom to ascertain its condition, Mr Johnny Achibrah, Chairman of the Union said, a lot of foodstuffs such as yam, maize, groundnuts, beans, cassava, fish and sorghum are produced in the area.

Besides, he said, it was the only road that linked that part of the country to Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, the Northern Volta and Northern regions.

While commending the government for awarding the road on contract, he said, nothing short of tarring the whole stretch of the road would appease the people who had been neglected for so long.

Mr Achibrah expressed the Union's dissatisfaction with Archwek Construction Company working on the 36-km Lemu-Basa section of the road and appealed to the government to ensure that a competent contractor took over before the rains set in.

At Kwame Danso, Mr. Isaac Sunkwa Hyiaman, the District Chief Executive, said the re-shaping of the road would cost seven billion cedis and also expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of work being done by Archwek Construction and said he had conveyed "his feelings" to the Ghana Highway Authority.

Mr. Aliu Zakari, an executive member of the Kwame Danso GPRTU, said the deplorable condition of the road was their major headache since they had constant breakdown of their vehicles.

Mr. Imoru Ibrahim, the Kajaji Local Chairman of the GPRTU said a number of drivers plying the route had withdrawn their services due to its deplorable nature.

He said at the peak of the rainy season, passengers sometimes spent three days on the road.