*Bogoso-Prestea Road: Youth to Picket on September 7th to Protest Government Neglect*

Filed By: Benjamin Bray, Sekondi-Takoradi

In the coming week, hundreds of Prestea's youth plan to take to the streets to protest government negligence and the sorry state of abandoned road networks stretching from Bogoso to Prestea Township. They are frustrated by unfulfilled promises from successive governments.

The neglected road is riddled with potholes, causing inconvenience to both commercial and private vehicle users.

To ensure a peaceful demonstration, the Prestea youth have informed the Prestea District Police Command about their intention for a protest called "FIX PRESTEA ROADS." In August, they followed due process by submitting a letter to request protection for their planned September 1st, 2023 demonstration in Prestea Township.

However, the Prestea Police Command, after discussions with the demonstrators' leadership on August 24th and 27th, has rescheduled the demonstration from September 1st to September 7th due to insufficient personnel. This shortage resulted from a prior engagement in Wassa Dominase from August 30th to August 31st, 2023.

In March 2023, Sekondi-Takoradi-based Broadcast Journalist Benjamin Bray voiced concerns about the lack of developmental projects in the township under successive administrations. The entire Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality, with a population of approximately 229,000, has seen little improvement over the years, leaving residents skeptical about the prospect of major development projects.

Mr. Mutala Zola Mohammed, a youth in Prestea Township, expressed his concerns about the town's future, citing the ineffectiveness of public institutions, the deplorable state of the Bogoso to Prestea road, unemployment, an unsafe market, and issues with the National Health Insurance Office as contributing factors.

While the New Patriotic Party (NPP) started work on the Bogoso to Prestea road when they came to power, the contract was terminated allegedly due to the contractor's unwillingness to continue. Similarly, "ASABEA CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED" was working on the road before the 2020 election but ceased progress after the election.

In response to the youth's agitation in March 2023, Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Dr. Isaac Dasmani assured that he is committed to developing the municipality, including addressing the challenging Bogoso to Prestea road.

He encouraged the indigenous people to have confidence in the NPP administration led by H.E. Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, promising that the road networks would soon receive attention and improvement.

Source:wassamaninsider.com