Commuters appeal for the construction of abandoned Asonge – Pelungu road

Asonge (U/E)-Ghana, Nov. 16, GNA – Commuters using the abandoned 7.5km Asonge-Pelungu road in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region have appealed to the Government to continue the construction of the road to ease movement.
The yet to be tarred road with many potholes, has its gravel washed away by torrential rains thereby exposing stones particularly along the Damolgo –Tindongo area, which impede movement and sometimes causes accidents.
According to some of the residents in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the deplorable and punk nature of the road was making life difficult for them as it also contributed to the high fares charged commuters who use the road.
Mr James Yenguut, a resident, told the GNA that, apart from the difficulty in plying on the road, people living close to the road suffered from the dust.
“It is very pathetic as far as this road is concerned, apart from the fact that the road is not good for motorist in this dry season, our rooms are covered in dust, so much that when you even dry your white cloths, you will only return to meet it in a colour you can’t classify,” he noted.
“With the harmattan, it will even be disastrous as usual, because the wind coupled with the dust will cause many along the road to develop cough and catarrh as has been the case in the past years,” he added.
Mr Ntaba Yagre, a tomato farmer, said tricycle riders use the road as an excuse to charge them unduly in transporting their goods to the Bolgatanga Market.
“The cost of transporting our goods to the market keeps increasing and apart from the fuel cost, reference is made to the bad nature of the road, which is not hidden, and this is making farming unattractive because of the cost involved,” he said.
“Now, they charge GH₵12.00 and GH₵10.00 per head from Pelungu and Zanlerigu to Bolgatanga respectively, and GH₵7.00 or GH₵8.00 for a basin of tomatoes depending on the size of the basin, and tomatoes as you know, the price is dependent on its availability or otherwise on a market day and so there are days you just run at a loss”, he said.
Mr Ismael Ayamga, a tricycle rider, explained “the road is so terrible that it easily weakens your motor and even causes delay as compared to other roads and so if as riders we don’t charge amounts that would help us service our bikes, then, we will be forced out of business.”
Following a question filed by Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, the Member of Parliament for the Nabdam constituency in June 2022, regarding the state of the road as works halted in January 2020, Mr Amoako Atta, the Minister of Roads, and Highways in response, stated that, the road contract was terminated to be repackage as a result of the failure of the contractor to meet the requirement of the contract.