By Frank Amponsah
Quality road network is a critical infrastructure required for sustainable development. Just as farmers need good roads to cart the produce to market centers, so do business thrive when roads are in good shape.
In the condition of devastating road network, the residents and drivers of Kontanase in Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District of the central region had bemoaned over a portion of road that connects Agona Swedru and Asikuma which were damaged and ridden by potholes for over 20 years. The district is virtually a farming community that prides itself as the hub of cocoa production in the country but have one of the poorest road networks in the country.
Farmers were counting their loses because most of their farm produce were rotting away due to the bad nature of roads. The affected communities include Kontanase, Asikuma, Akawosu, Nyame Bekyere etc.
The resident bemoaned the negative impact dead roads were having on healthcare delivery in their communities as they found it difficult to transport patients to other areas for medical care.
They said academic activities had been affected because many of the children who commuted considerable distance to school found it difficult to do so.
Intervention
The section of the road has finally received a facelift by a philanthropist, Dr Michael Kojo Kyeremateng, the Group President of C4C group of companies who heard the persistent cry of the people of the area over the road as it was affecting the economic activities and free flow of movement by drivers and other road users. Some of the drivers and residents who ply the road shared their happiness with Eb-c.org and heaped praises on Dr Kyeremateng for a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, expressing the motivation behind the benevolent gesture Dr Kyeremateng indicated the persistent cry of the resident to get the road fixed. On the rehabilitation of the roads, he said the repairs would ease the difficulties commuters face. He lamented that due to the bad nature of the roads, farm produce is also destroyed since vehicles cannot get to their destination on time.
“The project would go a long way to ease difficulties drivers and pedestrians had had to go through because of the deplorable roads”.
He also stated that the completion of the road project would help open the community to the rest of the district, thereby enhancing businesses activities and ending the difficulties the people had endured for years.
Dr Kyeremateng stated, the construction of the road network formed part of the Dr. Kyeremateng Foundation’s vision of bringing development to the people’s doorstep.
He added government cannot do everything alone, therefore, appealed to other philanthropists and benevolent individuals to help build a better Ghana for Ghanaians.
