Residents in four communities along the Accra to Kumasi highway (N6) in Eastern region stormed the construction site of Comptran Engineering company at Asuboi over what they say is an unfavorable U-turn created for the communities.
The residents made up of Chiefs, businessmen, Owners of private schools, taxi drivers and ,Okada riders from Amanase, Homeso, Atakra and Apeatu clad in red arm bands besieged the construction site with a petition to the resident engineer about their plight.
They were blocked by the security of the construction company including an armed police officer escalating tension.
However, a senior staff at the company emerged after he was informed about the development and directed the security to grant access to the residents to present their petition to the resident Engineer Mr. K. Apraku .
According to the agitating residents, their action was necessitated by the failure of the Ghana Highways Authority to provide a favourable U-turn to the communities having complained severally.
They argued that residents of Amanase for instance have to drive about 5km towards Suhum direction before they can access a U-turn to cross to the other side of the community to attend clinic, school or visit their families and friends.
Mr. Ernest Akuffo, one of the leaders alleged that a resident of Amanase lost his life during an emergency because of the time wasted to access a U-turn.
They are demanding the construction of footbridge to curb the alarming pedestrian knockdowns in the Amanase community.
Again, they want auxiliary roads to the communities constructed.
The aggrieved residents in the petition copied to the Ghana Highways Authority, and the District Chief Executive for Ayensuano, issued a four working-day ultimatum for a favourable response to avert massive demonstration.
“We are not interested in protestation and agitations that may have the tendency to further demonstrations, except when you’re still in an entrenched position. You have four days to make your decision that is 27th July to 4th August,2022 or we also have 5 days to reconvene to take a decision and advise ourselves”.
However, the Resident Engineer called for calm.
He explained that a highway requires minimum obstruction therefore many U-turns cannot be constructed on the road.
On the demand for footbridge, the engineer said construction of footbridges are part of the Original design of the road however, the cost of metals have ballooned due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine therefore the Ghana Highways Authority is considering the construction of an underground pedestrian foot tunnels.
Source : Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah