By Samuel Akumatey
Ho, Aug. 15, GNA – The community of Akrofu, in the Ho Municipality, is appealing to the government to consider the development of its roads as it completes an ambitious multi-million waste treatment complex there.
The community, host of the Volta Regional capital’s waste dump site, is currently witnessing the construction of several individual waste treatment plants that would culminate into one of the largest in the country.
Mamaga Akua Sabea VII, Queenmother of the community, was chairing the commissioning of a medical waste treatment facility that had been completed at the complex and said the bad roads in the area were impacting negatively on the huge investment.
The Akrofo to Bame road helps provide the shortest access to the Eastern Corridor Highway from Ho, and recorded heavy traffic until the approximately 10 km feeder infrastructure lost its graphite overlay due to erosion
Only patches of graphite remain, and the Queenmother said the stretch had become a haven for robbers while the community lost access to markets in Kpeve and others on the Eastern corridor.
Mamaga Akua Sabea said the bad roads were affecting the farming community, which was getting recognised as a sustainable food basket in the area.
“No vehicle comes to the community after 1800 hours. We are kind of isolated because of our roads,” she lamented.
The medical waste treatment plant is built by Zoomlion, Ghana’s leading waste company, and the second to be completed as part of the government’s drive to develop a comprehensive sanitation structure.
A 15 million cedis integrated recycling and compost plant is also ongoing by same company at the complex and nearing completion, while a liquid waste treatment facility stands completed.
Residents of the community told the GNA of challenges with commuting along the stretch and said access to farms and other investments had become difficult, especially during the rainy season.
The commercial drivers that use the road have hiked their fees for their services, which has been limited to market days.
The situation seems to play into the hands of the regional capital as most farm produce now flows to Ho Central Market.
GNA