Residents of Gbetsile-Pure Oil in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality of the Greater Accra Region have appealed to the government to fix their roads as they have been cut off from other parts of the community following torrential rains on Saturday, 10 October 2020.

The trenches-riddled roads are unmotorable.

This has made it difficult for residents to commute outside the community to Ashaiman and Tema and other communities.

Speaking to Class News’ Edward Tettey on Monday, 12 October 2020, some drivers and residents explained that the DCE and MP for the area are aware of the problem which has persisted for about ten years now.

A driver said: “We want the leaders to come here and see where we’re living before we vote for them; they should see where we’re coming from. Can you work on this road? Meanwhile, the police have been arresting us for road worthy and other things. Look at the nature of this road before they’ll be arresting us.”

A resident also explained: “Access to my house has been cut off by the rain, so, there’s no access so I have to park outside. The road is not good, that’s our major problem we’re facing at Gbetseli-Pure Oil for more than ten years; still, we’ve not seen any improvement.

“Not even a single gutter. The whole place is flooded anytime it rains, the station here, the cars cannot come, so, when it rains, we find it difficult even getting transport.”

Other residents also bemoaned the indifference of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and MP and other authorities to the plight of the people.

“They live in the community, we don’t hear anything from them. The MCE comes here, the MP also comes around, they do their politics, they do their campaign then they leave. After campaign, we don’t see them again.” 

 “Anytime it rains, the drainage system, it messes things around. We don’t even have one. Anytime it rains, the rains eat into the roads, it has created its own gutter and before you know it, one day, we’ll come back from work and then there’s no road for us to cross.

“We don’t even see the MCE, we can’t even find him to, at least, question him about our roads or even complain. I don’t even know the MCE; he has never availed himself personally to the people around. I don’t even know his name”, another resident noted.

Some traders who are resident in the community, threatened to boycott the upcoming general elections.

“Our road from Gbetsile to Pure Oil, when it rains, it’s bad, we have to walk barefooted. The women are suffering, we’re pleading with the authorities. If you don’t fix our roads, we’re not voting.”