Residents of the Sissala East Municipality in the Upper West Region have called on the government to address the poor condition of the Tumu-Sakai-Walembelle road.

They have urged the government, through its District Road Improvement Programme, to improve the road network to enhance socio-economic development in the area.

In an interview with the Ghanaian Times on August 6, 2024, local residents voiced their frustration over the ongoing neglect by successive governments.

They noted that the road conditions become treacherous during the rainy season, with dangerous mud and slippery surfaces.

A community leader in Sakai, N-dian N-akul Hussein, explained that farming is the main occupation in the area.

Due to the road’s poor state, farmers must use motorbikes to transport their produce to market, as vehicles cannot easily navigate the rough terrain.

“My health is at risk due to the dust from the dusty road and sometimes too when you come to the shop in the afternoon you would notice everything been dusty,” she said.

The deteriorating road, which connects to neighboring Burkina Faso, has also hindered truck access, affecting the transportation of goods like tomatoes and onions into Ghana.

Resident Hanifa Erasung, who runs a provision shop in Sakai, expressed concern about the health risks associated with the dusty road conditions during the dry season.

She highlighted that the dust exacerbates respiratory problems and affects their daily lives.

Dramani Eric, a commercial driver, described the financial strain caused by frequent vehicle maintenance due to the road’s poor condition.

He mentioned that many drivers have stopped using the road because of the high costs and constant breakdowns.

“Last Monday, I loaded some goods and passengers from Wa to Tumu. When we got to Walembelle the vehicle ceased, so I had to look for another vehicle to offload the goods and the passengers. The money I spent to maintain the ve­hicle was not small, I plan to stop this work and look for a different work because we end up using the profit made to maintain the vehi­cle,” he lamented.

Assembly member for Sakai Electoral Area, Kantongboku Gbene Elijah, noted that heavy tipper trucks exacerbate the road’s deterioration and expressed uncertainty about whether the Sakai community will benefit from the District Road Improvement Programme.

The road repair contract was awarded to Fuzak Co. Ltd in 2015 under the previous NDC government.

However, the contractor has not returned to the site since the government changed, leaving the road in disrepair.