The construction of 2.5 kilometres of roads in communities in the Amansie South Municipality has begun in earnest, following the intervention of a mining company in the area.
The intervention by Goldline Mining Company comes after years of complaints and appeals by the inhabitants of the area about the deteriorating state of the roads.
Farmers in communities in the municipality have often expressed their distress over their inability to access their farmlands, especially during the rainy season.
The deteriorating road network makes it difficult for farmers to get to their farms, and major communities within the Manso enclave are often cut off when the roads are flooded during the rainy season.
Farmers in these areas are the most affected, as they are unable to visit their farms, which has a negative impact on their livelihoods.
A farmer, Margaret Abrafi, said: “Our roads are not good, and it is difficult to access our farms when it rains. Sometimes we are not able to go to our farms, and it is dangerous for us.”
Roads in the Manso enclave, a typical mining and farming area, are in a poor state, despite several appeals to have them fixed.
The government recently began the construction of roads in the area, covering about 60 kilometers. The project also includes a 25-kilometer highway to link the Ashanti and Western North regions, but other areas have yet to be covered.
The mining firm in the area, Goldline Mining Limited, is using part of its profits to improve roads within the enclave.
A project to reshape 2.5 kilometers of roads and construct eight bridges and drains has begun. The project, which will be solely funded by Goldline Mining Company, will link communities like Kensire and Aponapon, which have poor road networks in the area.
Materials such as gravel, stone chippings, iron rods, and sand, to be used for the construction, have already been secured by the company.
Speaking at a short ceremony to cut the sod for the commencement of work, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Goldline Mining Company, Emmanuel Ababio, recounted how an elderly woman was swept away by floods while returning from her farm.
He said the poor state of the road was a threat to life in the area, and these concerns motivated him to take up the initiative.
He insisted that the intervention was not only to fulfil the company’s corporate social responsibility but also to prioritize the safety of the inhabitants.
He added: “I have lived in this community for the past 16 years, and I know that 99 percent of the indigenes here walk on this farm road. I used the road during the rainy season, and it was bad. That is why I took up the initiative.”
The Municipal Chief Executive for Amansie South, Clement Opoku Gyamfi, lauded the intervention and cautioned against the theft of construction materials.
He condemned acts where some community members would connive with workers of a construction firm to steal materials meant for projects. The MCE described such acts as unpatriotic and called on persons engaging in such to desist from them.