Kenyasi roads receiving attention – Ashanti Regional Minister

The Ashanti Regional Minister says the deplorable road networks in Kenyasi is receiving serious attention from the Department of Feeder Roads as measures are being put in place to get the roads fixed.

According to Regional Minister, Eric Opoku, the call from residents for the roads to be fixed soon as possible, cannot be followed since government needs to comply with procurement procedures, which takes some time.

Mr. Opoku was responding on Joy News Monday, regarding threats from residents of Kenyasi that they will embark on demonstrations, every hundred days, if their roads are not fixed.

The regional minister noted that the roads were awarded on contract but later terminated because the contractor was not performing but a check on its status with the Feeder Roads Department indicated that it was being re-packaged to be re-awarded.

 Luv FM’s Prince Appiah, who covered the demonstration staged earlier on by residents of Kenyasi reported that there has been an uneasy calm in the area this evening after the demonstration in the area turned violent.

 Both civilians and police officers sustained injuries in the clash with the Police saying one of their vehicles have been smashed in the process.

Six persons arrested in connection with the clash have been granted bail. Meanwhile, more police officers have been deployed onto the streets to maintain order.

The residents staged the protests against deteriorating road conditions in Kenyasi.

But what started as a peaceful demonstration soon turned violent, when a team of police officers deployed to the area started firing warning shots.

The police are said to have also fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, who returned fire with stones and other objects.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Chris Klomagah, who is in charge of rapid deployment for the police in Ashanti explained that the police had information that some of the resident had started blocking roads and burning lorry tyres close to filling stations but what was intended to be peaceful, turned voilent as the police re-inforcement team were attacked.

“We cannot come to protect you and then in the course we get injured, so we actually defended ourselves”, he intimated. 

The Police in the Ashanti Region say the heightened security is expected to remain in force until the situation stabilizes.