Residents of Hawui of the Gamenu Electoral Area in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region are appealing for urgent government intervention as deplorable road conditions continue to make life unbearable, particularly during the rainy season.
The electoral area, which comprises 13 communities, has become nearly inaccessible after heavy rains, leaving residents stranded and cutting off school children, traders, and patients from essential services.
A JoyNews team that visited the communities through Hawui, the worst-affected area, witnessed firsthand the dire situation. Deep potholes filled with muddy water and washed-out sections of the road made movement extremely difficult.
Many residents, especially school children, were seen trekking through knee-deep mud just to reach school or the nearby market.
According to the pupils, the poor state of the roads has made schooling a struggle. They say they sometimes stay home for days or even weeks when the rains become heavy because it is impossible to cross the flooded paths.
“We want the government to help fix our roads so we can go to school every day,” one pupil pleaded. “Sometimes we fall in the mud or spoil our uniforms before even getting to class.”
The situation, residents say, has not only affected education but also access to healthcare. The only health centre serving the area has become difficult to reach, forcing some residents to travel long distances on foot or rely on motorbikes, which often get stuck in the mud.
Market women and farmers in the area are also counting their losses. They say transporting foodstuffs and goods to nearby towns like Sogakope has become nearly impossible, resulting in post-harvest losses and rising costs of basic commodities.
The Assembly Member for the area, Mr. Seyram Glah, expressed grave concern over the state of the roads and the impact it has on livelihoods.
“This situation has been ongoing for years. During the rainy season, our communities are practically cut off from the rest of the district,” he lamented.
“We have appealed several times to the authorities, but no meaningful action has been taken. We are once again calling on the government and the District Assembly to come to our aid before things get worse.”
Residents are therefore appealing to the South Tongu District Assembly, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, and other relevant agencies to urgently rehabilitate the road network linking the 13 communities to the main district routes.
As the rainy season continues, the people of Gamenu fear that without swift intervention, their communities may remain trapped in a cycle of hardship, where access to education, healthcare, and economic activity is determined by the weather.
In a related development, Member of Parliament for South Tongu Maxwell Kwame Lukutor has raised the issue on the floor of Parliament, questioning the Minister for Roads and Highways about the Lolito–Hawui–Adidokpo road, which forms part of the Lotito–Amedormekope Junction–Gamenu feeder road network.
The MP highlighted the daily struggles of farmers, traders, school children, and commuters who rely on the road and called for urgent rehabilitation and maintenance measures to restore safe and easy access.
While the Ministry confirmed that there is no active programme currently ongoing, Mr. Lukutor urged immediate attention ahead of proposed engineering studies planned for consideration under the 2026 budget.
He assured the people of South Tongu of his continued advocacy to ensure that every community receives fair attention in road development and infrastructure delivery.
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