Residents of Ghana’s Upper West Region have issued a two-week ultimatum to the government to show visible progress on the stalled Wenchi–Bole–Sawla–Wa road project, warning of sustained protests if their demands are not met.
In a strongly worded petition addressed to the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Agbodza, the coalition said it would no longer tolerate delays on what it described as a critical economic corridor.
“We demand, not politely request, the immediate commencement of reconstruction works on the Wenchi–Bole–Sawla–Wa,” the group said, describing the road as a vital link between Bono East, Savannah and Upper West regions, as well as a key route to Burkina Faso and Mali.
The residents said the current condition of the road had deteriorated significantly, hampering transport, damaging vehicles and posing safety risks.
“What should be a vital economic corridor has become an endurance trial,” the petition said, citing deep potholes, heavy dust and poor road surfaces.
The group criticised contractors working on the project, accusing them of abandoning their responsibilities despite being awarded contracts under the government’s flagship “Big Push” infrastructure programme.
It singled out Maripoma Enterprise Limited, alleging that the company had delivered less than one percent of its assigned work more than a year after receiving the contract.
“This is not merely a delay; it is a deliberate show of disrespect for the people of the Upper West Region,” the petition said.
The residents also claimed that the contractor was overstretched with multiple projects, affecting progress on the road, which they described as the region’s “economic lifeblood.”
They warned that failure by government to act within two weeks would trigger “disruptive, sustained, and impossible to ignore” demonstrations.
The concerns come amid growing public scrutiny of road projects under the government’s infrastructure drive, with many communities questioning delays in execution.
Responding to the concerns, Mr Agbodza acknowledged rising skepticism about the project and the broader Wenchi–Techiman–Bole–Sawla–Wa corridor, assuring that efforts were underway to address the challenges.
The Wenchi–Bole–Sawla–Wa road is considered a strategic route for trade and movement across northern Ghana and beyond, making its completion critical to regional economic activity.
