The deplorable road
RESIDENTS of Akyem Kobriso, a farming community in the Lower West Akyem Municipality of Eastern Region are appealing passionately to the government to fix the deplorable roads in the area for them.
According to them, drivers who ply Kobriso to Apinamang are charging them double because the roads are in deplorable state.
Residents who expressed their grievances to journalists during a recent trip said the original price for boarding a car from Akyem Kobriso to Apinamang is supposed to be GH¢4 but whenever there are rains, the drivers resort to charging exorbitant prices sometimes as high as GH¢15.
They explained that a driver who charges a passenger GH¢10 for the GH¢4 distance even thinks he is doing the passenger a favor, adding that they have no option than to pay.
According to the resident, apart from the overcharging, the drivers also refuse to pick them when it gets to 4:00 pm for unexplained reasons.
The community with a population of about 1500 apart from the lack of accessible roads, do not have better communication networks and other basic social amenities.
The drivers justified the exorbitant lorry fares by saying the roads are in deplorable states and have been running at a loss for using the roads.
They said they have resolved not to drive from Apinamang, Kobriso, Akanteng and the other nearby towns when it is 4:00 pm and beyond to protect their lives from armed robbery attacks which they said have become rampant in the area.
They said bandits and car snatchers often take advantage of the bad nature of the roads and the lack of proper telecommunication network in the area to rob drivers and passengers.
The Chief for Akyem Kobriso Baffour Kofi Bio II bemoaned the poor nature of their roads and the lack of development in the area.
From Daniel Bampoe, Kobriso, ER