Commercial drivers in the Agona West Constituency of the Central Region are raising concerns over the poor condition of roads in the area, which they say is increasing their vehicle maintenance costs.
During Channel One TV’s Community Forum on October 24, 2024, local driver Dan Kwaku Boateng expressed frustration with the government’s failure to complete ongoing road projects.
He noted that the bad roads are causing excessive wear and tear on vehicles, which is made worse by the high cost of spare parts. He called on the government to swiftly complete the uncompleted road projects.
“They’ve just graded the roads and left them like that. Because of the poor state of the roads, I’m always taking my car to the mechanic, and it can stay there for two days. Spare parts are expensive, so we are really suffering,” he lamented.
Isaac Bosuh, Secretary of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) Branch No. 1, echoed these concerns. He acknowledged that while some road projects have begun, many remain unfinished, creating additional hardship for drivers. He also pointed out the rising cost of spare parts and lorry tyres, urging the government to complete the roads.
“The government has tried, but our roads are still not good. Some projects have started but are left incomplete. If they could focus on finishing them, it would help us a lot,” he said.
Agona West Municipal Roads Engineer, Gawugah Daniel, assured the community that plans are underway to complete the unpaved roads, noting that other key roads in the area have already been improved.
“We’ve made progress; previously it took 45 minutes to navigate through Agona Swedru, but now it takes only 20 minutes. We are still working,” he said.
However, Eric Ankomah Sey, a resident, criticized the authorities for ignoring the complaints of the community and politicizing development issues.
“We can’t see the roads they claim they’ve done. They should stop politicizing everything because it’s affecting the people,” he urged.
Drivers and residents who use the Dunkwa, Duakwa, Abodom, Winneba, and Nyakrom roads also voiced their dissatisfaction with the state of the roads, calling for immediate action.