Concerned residents of Ho in the Volta Region on Monday embarked on a demonstration against bad roads in the municipality.
The demonstrators gave Dr Archibold Yao Letsa, the Regional Minister, and the government a one month ultimatum to repair the roads or else they would employ other legitimate means to have the government deliver.
The demonstration began from Dave junction through Trafalga, Guiness junction, housing, lorry station, Civic Centre Traffic Light and ended at Lokoe.
Mr Vincent Hodoli, the Covenant of the concerned citizens, stated that the Ho-Sokode dual carriage road, which was started by the Mahama administration was progressing steadily before the takeover of political power by the President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo’s government.
According to him, road projects in the Ho municipality, Ho-Accra roads and other donor funded road projects in the Eastern Corridor Road has suffered major setback, following stoppage by the government, ostensibly to carry out value for money audit.
Mr Hodoli indicated that, the Ho-Aflao road has become a death trap, saying that the poor nature of roads has resulted in frequent breakdown of vehicles and difficultly in transporting foodstuffs to the market, among others.
He stated that the same group had led similar demonstration in the past against the NDC government, hence the public should not read political motivation into the action, but to see it as a demonstration by selfless and patriotic people to ensure the region’s development.
Mr Hodoli disclosed that the group had discussed issues of the bad roads with the Dr Letsa of which he promised to get the contractors back to the site.
Mr Hodoli said work has still not started on the roads, hence he had to collaborate with the Allied Transport Union, market women and other progressive forces to mount pressure on government to repair the roads.
He said the residents were yet to see any concrete action on the numerous campaign promises made to the people in the region.
“Let Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s led government be reminded that the same way that we pressurised John Dramani Mahama’s government with series of demonstrations even in the face of monumental infrastructural development such as the Ho Airport, asphaltic surfacing of some town roads including Ho and Mahama Day Senior High School, such pressure will be elevated in the tenth exponential gear very soon,” Mr Hodoli said.
FROM GRACE SENAM KLAY, HO
