Tipper drivers and residents fix Sokode Akrofu – Bame road

Residents of Akrofu in the Ho Municipality of the Volta region have joined hands with the Tipper Drivers Union to fix the deplorable state of the the Sokode – Akrofu – Bame Road.

The said Sokode – Akrofu – Bame road is one of the major roads under the highways division being constructed since the 1970s by the then Bussia regime and was upgraded in the year 2003 by the Former President Kuffuor’s administration and since then has never undergone any major road work.

This road serves a major patronage for motorist between Ho – Kpeve through to Kpando.

The deplorable state of this stretch has been a headache to the people of Akrofu and Bame over the years since this is the only shortest road linking the regional capital, Ho.

It could be recalled that, barely two years ago, people of this community and other road users especially the market women, teachers and other government workers who ply that stretch to Kpeve and other surrounding communities, lamented and called for major road works to be done.

At the point of call, motorists had to use other link routes to Kpeve when a road blocked notice was served by the Ghana Highway Authority and Ho municipal NADMO for repair works to be done on the weak Akrofu bridge.

After work has been completed on the temporal bridge supervised by the then Deputy Volta regional Minister, Hon. Johnson Avuletey, nothing has been done about the the road itself.

In the early hours of Thursday, November 18, 2021, members of the Akrofu community together with the Tipper Drivers Union embarked on a road fixing project on the road from Sokode to Bame.

The Assembly Member of Akrofu electoral area, Forgive Segbedeku, disclosed that it has become necessary since the government has not planned to rescue the people of the area.

According to the assembly member, the Tipper Drivers Union together with him, met the regional Minister, Hon. Archibald Yao Letsa and the Regional Highways director for something to be done but to no avail.

He further revealed that, the regional Minister directed the Highways director to assist the community with the technical expertise to engineer the road since they are ready to fix but the director has made no effort and even failed to respond to several calls placed to him.

“We the residents of Akrofu community have contributed about Ghc4,000 to start. Other transport unions like PROTOA, GPRTU and Frankdophil Construction have also promised to donate to us but their donations are yet to come. The Assembly has released their grader to work for us and the tipper Drivers association is helping us for free.”

Mr. Segbedeku added that, “Though the regional highways commissioner is supposed to come and measure the road before we begin, he has refused to come. He was with us when we met the regional Minister and the regional Minister gave him some directives.” 

He was asked to engineer the road and give us technical advice as to how we should fill the pot holes. It’s been three months now and anytime I call him, he does not pick the call. When I go to his office to see him his secretaries always tells me he is either on break or he is not around. I have not been given an opportunity to wait in his office so I don’t know whether the secretaries are being truthful or not. 

Even though we don’t have a technical expert in the team, I know we’re doing the right thing” Hon. Segbedeku

The Ho Municipal Chief Executive, Divine Richard Bosson who visited the site commended the community and the tipper Driver for their immense contribution.

He noted that, instead to demonstrate, they went to fix the road. An act he described as a good step to development.

“We were supposed to come and see the work after it was completed but I had a call that the mineral Commission asked the people to stop so I decided to come here immediately since the officers from the minerals commission has refused to speak to me on phone However, they have been made to understand that the people are working for a good cause and for that, they should be encouraged and not discouraged. Now the minerals Commission has also permitted us to get the sand from the sand pit.” Mr. Bosson said.

Hon. Bosson further assured the people that, the road will be constructed for easy patronage however, no stipulated time frame was given.

source: www.ignewss.com