Bawdie-Asankragwa Road: Residents Demand Contractor’s Removal

Residents and chiefs along the Bawdie–Asankragwa road in the Western Region have intensified calls for the termination of a road construction contract awarded to Asabea Construction following repeated delays and the reported death of a young girl who fell into an open drain at the project site.

The aggrieved residents have accused the contractor of repeatedly abandoning the 52-kilometre road project despite mounting complaints about the deteriorating condition of the road and the safety risks posed by unfinished drainage works.

The situation has heightened tensions in the affected communities, with some residents expressing anger over what they describe as the contractor’s failure to respond promptly to their concerns.

The road connects the Amenfi East, Amenfi Central and Amenfi West constituencies, serving as a major transport link for communities across the three areas. Residents say the project has suffered repeated interruptions, leaving sections of the road in poor condition and making travel increasingly difficult for motorists, motorcyclists and other road users.

According to some chiefs and residents, the contractor resumed work ahead of the 2024 general elections, but abandoned the site after the polls. Work reportedly resumed following an inspection by the Roads Minister, but stalled again shortly afterwards. The residents are now questioning the contractor’s capacity to complete the project and have called on the government to terminate the contract and appoint a new contractor.

Amenfi Central NDC constituency chairman aspirant, Kingsley Mireku Konadu, said the poor condition of the road had contributed to frequent road crashes involving motorists and motorcyclists.

He attributed the accidents partly to what he described as poor drainage works and called for urgent government intervention to prevent further loss of lives. Mr Konadu also cited increasing traffic on the road and the limited availability of asphalted roads in the area as reasons the project needed to be completed without further delays. He urged the government to replace the contractor, arguing that the continued interruptions had exposed road users to avoidable risks.

Amenfi Central District Chief Executive, Peter Amponsah, said the death of the young girl, who reportedly fell into one of the open drains, had deepened public frustration over the handling of the project. He said the drain had remained unattended for more than eight months, despite efforts to get the contractor to address the problem.

According to Mr Amponsah, Asabea Construction had promised to fix the drain within two weeks after he contacted the company, but the commitment had not been fulfilled.

He said nearly five weeks had passed since the promise, with no remedial work undertaken, even after a joint visit to the site to assess the situation. The DCE said the incident had heightened concerns among local authorities and chiefs, who are demanding immediate action to prevent similar tragedies.

Meanwhile, Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, has assured residents that the government will take the necessary steps to address their concerns and determine the appropriate course of action on the stalled project.

Mr Nelson acknowledged the growing dissatisfaction over the pace of construction and said road projects were expected to improve the lives of residents and provide safer transportation.

He expressed disappointment that concerns previously raised about the contractor’s slow progress had not been resolved.

The Minister’s assurance comes amid renewed pressure from residents and traditional authorities for decisive action to get the project back on track.

The Bawdie–Asankragwa road remains a critical transport route for communities in the three constituencies, with residents hoping the government’s intervention will bring an end to the prolonged delays and address the safety concerns associated with the unfinished works.

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