Agbagorme wants measures to check speeding

The people of Agbagorme in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region have asked the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to construct speed humps on the Sogakope stretch of the Tema-Aflao road within two weeks else the community will mobilise resources to construct their own.

That, they said, was to check speeding and the needless killings of the people of the area by vehicles.

This followed the killing of nine people by speeding vehicles on the road within nine months.

Nine killed

Out of the 11 people who were knocked down by speeding vehicles, only two survived. They are Forster Kadzro and Anani Kpeme.

The Youth Leader of Agbagorme, Mr Johnson Cobby Amedzo, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said the people of the area were angry over the persistent refusal of the GHA to heed the call for measures to be taken to slow down vehicles on that stretch of the road despite appeals and letters written to the authority.

“The community will not bear with the Highway authorities anymore because countless letters were written to them by the former assembly member and the current one, Mr Shine Amenorhu, through the South Tongu District Assembly for speed humps to be constructed, but no action has been taken till now”, he said.

The latest of killings by speeding vehicles occurred last Friday, July 4, 2014 when Ruben Gati, a class three pupil, aged nine, was killed when he was crossing the road from school.

Road blockade

That infuriated the people, especially the youths, leading to a blockade of the road for almost seven hours. This  brought vehicular movement to a halt, while they constructed makeshift speed humps.

It took the intervention of the District Chief Executive for the area, Mr Samuel Ewoade, and the Police Commander, who pleaded through the chief of the area, before vehicles were allowed to move again.

Recounting the incidents, Mr Amedzo said last October, the first victim, Richard Amedzo, was knocked down and killed on the spot by a commercial vehicle.

“We thought that was an accident and would be the last to happen but it was rather the beginning of our woes and agony. Soon after the burial of Amedzo, a young lady, Sena Dagadu, 24, was also knocked down and killed”, he recounted.

Member of Parliament’s plea

When contacted, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the South Tongu Constituency, Mr Kobby Mensah Woyome, said he had made countless requests to the Department of Highways for the construction of humps on the road but  to no avail.

He described the situation as alarming as people were losing their lives needlessly, leaving families and the community in pain and anguish.

“There is a limit to what people can endure. Nine innocent lives have been lost in less than a year. This cannot continue. Something must be done”, he said.

Mr Woyome said he personally had to plead with the chiefs and leaders in the area to restrain themselves because their patience had run out and he could not tell the next line of action they might take.

He, therefore, pleaded with the GHA to act quickly in constructing speed humps on the road in order to save lives and prevent the agitated youths of the area from taking the law into their hands.

Writer’s email: victor.kwawukume@graphic.com.gh