Hundreds of frustrated residents from Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo municipalities marched through their towns on Tuesday, October 14, demanding immediate action on the abandoned Somanya–Odumase–Kpong road that’s become what they’re calling a daily menace to public health and commerce.
The demonstrators, organized by a coalition of Krobo civic groups, presented a stern petition to President John Mahama through local municipal assemblies, setting a 60-day deadline for visible progress or face renewed civil action. It’s a bold move that signals just how worn out the patience of these communities has become.
The protesters described the road as a source of daily hardship, and they’re not exaggerating. The 24-kilometre stretch, which serves as a critical link between the Krobo area and the Volta Region’s industrial corridor, has deteriorated into a patchwork of deep potholes and dust clouds that residents say threatens everything from respiratory health to small business survival.
What makes this situation particularly galling for locals is the project’s on again, off again history. The road was originally asphalted in 2016, but deteriorated within eight years. Reconstruction began in June 2024, only to stall again in early 2025 amid what sources describe as funding challenges and administrative transitions.
“The patience of the Krobo people has been stretched beyond endurance,” the petition stated bluntly. It’s not just about inconvenience anymore. Residents point to ambulances struggling to reach health centres, rising vehicle maintenance bills eating into household budgets, and respiratory diseases becoming more common as dust blankets the area.
The petition, signed by Kloma Hengme Chairman Isaac Tamatey Otu and Dangme Youth for Development President Simon Teye, demands that President Mahama direct the Ministry of Roads and Highways and Ghana Highways Authority to get contractors back on site within two months. They’re also asking for immediate relief measures: dust suppression, road grading, and protective barriers near schools and hospitals where children and vulnerable people are most exposed.
“The people are tired of promises,” Teye reportedly said during the demonstration. “We want action that restores dignity and safety to our communities.”
There’s a broader context here that shouldn’t be missed. This road carries heavy limestone-laden trucks serving the Akosombo–Tema industrial corridor, meaning its condition affects not just local residents but regional commerce. When a road classified as nationally important falls into disrepair, it sends a message about priorities that communities like Krobo are no longer willing to accept quietly.
The coalition has made its intentions clear: if construction doesn’t resume within 60 days, more protests will follow. Whether the government will meet this deadline remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain. The residents of Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo have moved past hoping for the best and are now demanding concrete action with concrete timelines.
