Angry drivers at Agona Swedru demonstrate over poor roads

Scores of commercial drivers at Agona Swedru yesterday went on a demonstration to register their displeasure over the deplorable state of roads in the town.

The drivers, who were clad in red armbands and attires, blocked all entry points to the town, bringing commercial activities to a standstill.

According to them, the bad roads were negatively affecting their operations and, therefore, they wanted the government to do something about the situation.

They burnt lorry tyres in parts of the town, preventing vehicles from moving freely on the roads.

Some of the demonstrators held placards with various inscriptions, some of which read: “Our roads are too bad”, “Agona Swedru deserves better”, “We pay tolls and use bad roads”, “Our roads are like manholes” and “We won’t pay road tolls again.”

Commuters stranded

The roads that were blocked included those linking Agona Swedru to Akyem Oda, Winneba, Ajumako and Awutu Bawjiase.

The tensed situation in the town left many schoolchildren and workers stranded, with some having to abandon going to work and school.

Passengers on board some commercial vehicles had to alight at the outskirts of the town and walk to their destinations.

The various lorry stations did not operate since the demonstrators blocked all the roads leading to the stations, and made it difficult for those in the stations to move to their destinations.

Police reinforcement

Attempts by the Swedru District Police to control the demonstrators proved unsuccessful and reinforcement had to come in from Winneba and Kasoa to save the situation.

There were confrontations between the demonstrators and the police who had to use rubber bullets at a point to keep the demonstrators at bay. In the melee, one driver got injured.

The police also arrested 23 drivers who were part of the demonstrators.

Call on Swedru chief

The leaders of the demonstrators presented a petition to the Agona West Municipal Assembly and also called on the Chief of Agona Swedru, Ogidigram Okrupi Nana Kobina Asiedu Botwe II, at his palace.

Nana Botwe told the demonstrators it was their democratic right to demonstrate to compel those in authority to act on their demands.

“You have every right to demonstrate but you have to do it in a peaceful manner,” he said.

Unfulfilled promises

A spokesperson for the demonstrators, Mr William Edzeameh, said they were fed up with the numerous promises to fix the roads.

According to him, they paid road tolls to the government, yet the roads they used had become ‘death traps’.

“Due to the poor state of the roads, we spend so much money on spare parts,” he said.

He warned that if they did not see concrete steps towards improving the roads in the town in a month’s time, they would hit the streets again.

Assurance

The Internal Auditor at the Agona West Municipal Assembly, Mr Martin Twumasi, who received the petition on behalf of the Municipal Chief Executive, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, assured the demonstrators that their grievances would be presented to the appropriate quarters for the needed attention.