Residents of Funko, a community in the Ahanta West Municipality in the Western Region for close to five years have been living in anticipation of
Residents of Funko, a community in the Ahanta West Municipality in the Western Region for close to five years have been living in anticipation of when their 3 kilometre stretch of their town road will be reconstructed after being earmarked under the cocoa road projects.
Waiting for years without any positive response resulting in continuous deterioration, the residents in collaboration with some companies in the enclave including Sino hydro, Cross Energy, Stellar Logistics Ltd ,Omni Energy, Sky Limit, BENBROS , Takoradi Philadelphia Movement with some support from the Ahanta West Municipal assembly are combining resources to at least make the road motorable in the interim.
The road according to reports is a major headache for motorists and residents over the years. “We cannot be productive as cars refuse to ply the road due to its bad nature after 8pm…you have to either choose to risk endangering your marital relationship and parental responsibilities since if you work and close late in town, you cannot return to your wife or kids,” Kweku Obeng, a construction worker lamented.
Speaking to this reporter; the Assembly member for the area who also doubles as the Presiding Member for the Assembly Andrews Ntsiful said, “the road was constructed between 2005 and 2007 by the Justmoh Company Limited but a few years after, it started deteriorating hence, making it difficult for cars to move on a road as such”.
He added, “The road and some other roads was awarded for reshaping years ago but nothing has been done yet, despite the complaints of the road users.”
He was hopeful government would notice their efforts and find a permanent solution to their plight.
“Appeals have been sent to the Member of Parliament, the regional minister and the municipal chief executive and we are of the conviction that measures would be put in place to start the reconstruction of the road within the shortest possible time.”
Sharing his plight, Lieutenant Commander Joseph Gwura, a resident of the community, who spearheaded the community initiative to reshape the road noted that over the years they have had to endure the deplorable nature of the road.
He also reiterated that in order to prevent it from further deterioration, government needs to augment their temporary works. “We are still pleading on government to come and finish it up permanently as what we are constructing now is temporary and cannot stand the test of time,” he surmised.
On his part the Works Engineer of the Ahanta West Municipal Assembly, Frank Gyampong said despite constraints of funding at the Assembly, they found a way to support the positive initiative of the community.
“The Municipal Assembly of the Ahanta West District and some residents of Funko have taken it upon themselves to gather resources to reshape their bad roads. The Assembly and the residents provided machines like excavators and trucks to support this initiative,” he stated.
“As it stands, the shaping is temporary since all the funds of the assembly cannot be used for the construction of the road but we are hopeful that government would soon take it over and finish it up duly,” he added.
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