Teshie residents protest over poor roads

A group known as the Concerned Youth of Teshie yesterday hit the streets to protest against the bad roads in the community.

Clad in red T-shirts, the residents, comprising various sub-groups such as residents associations, keep fit clubs, driver union, concerned citizens association, among others, massed up at the Adjorman roundabout as early as 6 a.m. to begin the protest which lasted for six hours. 

Placards

Displaying placards with inscriptions such as: “We’re suffering in the land of our birth, fix our roads”, “We pay property rate and taxes, fix our road”, “We are citizens, not spectators”, 

“Our constituency is bigger than Kumawu, fix our roads, “Our women are getting miscarriages because of the bad roads”, among others, the protesters marched through the roads some of which had developed deep potholes and left to expand further since their construction years ago. 

Commercial activities came to a temporary halt as market women and other workers within the community joined the protesters. 

It was, however, very peaceful, without the pelting of stones and other objects or the burning of tyres, a situation that did not give the police much task except to walk leisurely along with the protesters.

The protest led to a gridlock on the main Teshie-Tema road as the protestors joined the road from the Teshie Tsuibleoo (Mobil) junction. 

However, as early as 5 a.m., contractors were seen asphalting the road linking the Adjorman road and the LEKMA Hospital following an announcement of immediate commencement of rehabilitation works on some roads in the community by the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly. 

A protester, who gave his name as Atta Osa, told the Daily Graphic that due to the deplorable roads, they had to pay double transport fares. 

Nii Armah, a driver, said he had to park his taxi due to the situation because he could not afford taking his car to the mechanic shop for repairs every two weeks.

A pharmacist, Seyram Doku, who parked his car on the Fertiliser Road to join the demonstration, said the construction of the inner city roads in the community was long overdue.  

Petition 

One of the protesters, E. A. Mettle-Nunoo Jnr, who read a petition presented to the Municipal Chief Executive, Mordecai Quarshie, and the Member of Parliament (MP), Benjamin Narteh Ayiku, gave the MCE a three-month ultimatum to fix the roads.

“The inner roads of Teshie ease a lot of vehicular traffic on a regular day and so when they are fixed, we believe it would help road users get to their place of work early, and it will go a long way to increase productivity for our dear nation and also cut repair costs,” portions of the petition stated.

“If we do not see any work in progress within two months after the submission of this petition, we the concerned youth of Teshie shall mobilise not less than 3,000 residents onto the streets on a weekly basis until our grievances are addressed,” the petition added. 

Response 

The MCE, for his part, said four major roads were presently being worked on in the community. 

Mr Quarshie mentioned the roads as the Tsuibleoo Road, from LEKMA to Adjorman roundabout, the Fertiliser Road, the King Kortey Road, which is the third road, from Mamfe Junction to Yoomo Specs, and the Numo Mashie Road, from Mobile to Tsuibleoo Last Stop. 

The MCE, however, assured the protesters that the government would work on the remaining roads in accordance with its own timetable and not as per an ultimatum. 

Peaceful 

For his part, the MP for the Ledzokuku Constituency commended the protesters for a peaceful demonstration. 

Mr Ayiku added that the roads had been the bane of everyone in the community, particularly pregnant women.

“Aside from that, the bumpy nature of the roads affect our spines and I’m a victim,” the MP said.