Residents and property owners of Pokuase Ridge East in the Ga North Municipality of the Greater Accra Region have petitioned the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) over what they describe as the deplorable and rapidly deteriorating condition of roads in the community.
In a petition issued to the MCE, the Pokuase Ridge East Residents’ Association said the situation has moved beyond ordinary inconvenience and now directly affects access to water, public safety, emergency services, security and the overall quality of life in the area.
According to the residents, the roads within the community have deteriorated significantly with deep potholes, uneven surfaces and erosion making movement extremely difficult for motorists, pedestrians, schoolchildren and commercial drivers.
They noted that during rainfall, sections of the roads become particularly difficult to navigate, further increasing the risk of accidents and vehicle damage.
Another major concern for them is the potential delay to emergency services.
“Of even greater concern is the potential obstruction of emergency services, including ambulances, fire tenders, and security patrol vehicles, whose timely response may be critical in emergencies,” the petition stated.
The residents also lamented the disruption of water supply to the community, explaining that commercial water tanker operators are now reluctant and in some instances outright refusing to deliver water due to the poor nature of the roads.
They stressed that many households depend on tanker services for their daily water requirements and described the development as unacceptable.
“It is unacceptable that residents should be deprived of reliable access to water simply because the roads leading to their homes have become practically inaccessible,” they said.
On security, the Association indicated that poor road accessibility could delay police patrols and emergency responses, potentially exposing residents and their properties to avoidable risks, particularly during nighttime emergencies.
The residents further expressed dissatisfaction that despite honouring their statutory obligations through the payment of property rates and other municipal levies, they have seen little infrastructural improvement in return.
“Residents cannot continually be expected to contribute financially toward municipal development while the roads serving their homes remain in such deplorable condition,” they lamented.
In view of the challenges, the residents are demanding an urgent technical inspection of the affected roads, commencement of meaningful rehabilitation or emergency remedial works within fourteen calendar days of receipt of the petition, and immediate temporary intervention such as grading, filling and levelling of severely damaged sections to restore accessibility, particularly for water tankers and emergency vehicles.
They are also requesting a written communication from the Assembly outlining its proposed intervention and implementation schedule as well as a stakeholder meeting between the Assembly and community leadership to agree on a sustainable solution.
The Association has served notice that should the Assembly fail to commence meaningful remedial works within the stipulated fourteen days, they shall be compelled to undertake lawful civic actions including convening a press conference involving print, electronic and online media to bring national attention to the matter, and embarking on a massive but peaceful demonstration.
They emphasized that the intended actions are not meant to create disorder.
“We wish to emphasize that these actions are not intended to create disorder or undermine public authority. Rather, they represent the legitimate and peaceful exercise of our constitutional rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and demonstration,” the petition added.
They said they expect a formal written response and the commencement of meaningful remedial measures within fourteen calendar days, adding that they remain hopeful the Assembly will act promptly to restore residents’ confidence in local governance.
