Road Neglect Triggers Dome-Kwabenya protest
Residents demand urgent rehabilitation of a road they say has been neglected for two decades.
Hundreds of residents from Dome-Kwabenya, Comet, Berekuso, Agyementi and Kitase have staged a peaceful demonstration to demand the immediate rehabilitation and completion of the Dome-Kwabenya–Berekuso–Kitase Road. The protesters, organized by the Dome-Kwabenya–Kitase Road Stakeholders Committee, said the prolonged deterioration of the road had disrupted transportation, affected businesses and made movement increasingly difficult for residents and commuters.
Speaking to Citi News on Monday, August 17, some of the demonstrators said they had exhausted available avenues for engaging the authorities and were compelled to take to the streets to demand urgent action. One of the protesters described the road as a major challenge for residents and appealed to the government to intervene. “This road is a huge problem for us. It makes our movement very difficult and disruptive. We are pleading with the government to work on our roads for us,” the demonstrator said.
Another protester said the demonstration was intended to remain peaceful while drawing attention to the prolonged neglect of the road. “This is a peaceful demonstration for our roads to be fixed. The road has not been fixed in 20 years. We need our roads to be fixed,” the protester said. Residents said the deteriorating road had created persistent difficulties for motorists and transport operators, while also affecting commercial activities in the communities along the route. They also raised concerns about the health and environmental effects of the poor road conditions, particularly the dust generated by vehicles using the affected sections.
According to the residents, the dust has become a recurring problem for people living and operating businesses along the road, adding to the hardships caused by its deteriorated state. The protesters are consequently calling on the government and relevant road authorities to prioritize the rehabilitation and completion of the route. They believe a properly rehabilitated road would improve transportation, facilitate movement between the affected communities and create better conditions for businesses and other economic activities.
The demonstration follows what residents described as years of frustration over the condition of the road and unsuccessful efforts to secure a lasting solution through engagement with the authorities. The stakeholders are now demanding concrete action and a clear commitment to completing the road, insisting that the prolonged deterioration has imposed an unacceptable burden on communities that rely on the route daily. They urged the government to treat the rehabilitation of the Dome-Kwabenya–Berekuso–Kitase Road as an urgent infrastructure priority and bring an end to what they describe as 20 years of neglect.
By Joyce Owusu
