BECE candidates in Nyankrom had to walk to their examination centres on Monday, May 4 after angry youth and commercial drivers blocked the main road linking the community to Shama, bringing traffic to a complete standstill.
The candidates, alongside residents, commercial drivers, and industrial operators who rely on the Nyankrom–Shama stretch, had a torrid time traversing the road. The 1.5-kilometre road has, over the course of time, become difficult to use, slowing both human and vehicular movement.
The road is riddled with potholes and dust, making it difficult to use. In dry conditi ons, commuters are exposed to heavy dust, while in rainy weather, the road becomes even more difficult to navigate.
On Monday, a group of aggrieved youth, supported by commercial drivers, mounted a blockade on the stretch, halting all vehicular traffic. The protesters barricaded portions of the road and set car tyres ablaze. The presence of the police did not deter them.
The protest follows the expiration of a one-month ultimatum issued to the Shama Municipal Assembly to compel a contractor to return to site and resume works. The demonstrators say the ultimatum was ignored.
Residents say efforts to get the Shama Municipal Assembly and the Municipal Chief Executive, Paul Otis Dentu, to fix the road have not yielded results.
“We are tired of the assembly treating us with contempt, especially when the Nyankrom economy plays a critical role. The assembly cannot convince anyone that it is not making significant revenue from the number of trucks that ply the road supplying materials to companies. So why can’t this 1.5 kilometre road be fixed?” a leader of the Nyankrom Concerned Youth Isreal Kwesi Eshun told reporters.
The group has indicated that it will continue the blockade for the next five days if the assembly fails to take action.
At Unique Star Education Complex, a school along the stretch, the blockade disrupted the movement of students to their examination centre.
Administrator Blessing Mensah said the school bus was unable to pass, forcing students to walk.
“Our school bus could not move, and the students had to walk for several minutes. This is not fair on them considering what is ahead of them. If this continues, it could have a toll on them. We are pleading with the assembly to intervene,” she said.
As of the time of filing this report, the Shama Municipal Assembly had not responded, and the situation on the Nyankrom road remained unchanged.
By Eric Yaw Adjei
