The youth residing in Kenyase, a community situated within the Ahafo region, have expressed their intention to initiate a demonstration as a response to the actions of a contractor responsible for a road project within their locality.
This contractor, despite having received complete payments as stipulated in the contract agreement, has chosen to abandon the project site, leaving the work incomplete and the community in a state of dissatisfaction and frustration, prompting the youth to contemplate taking to the streets to voice their grievances through a protest.
The Contractor, Kofi Job Construction Limited was fully paid 95.4 million cedis for the upgrade of Hwidiem-Kenyase road by Newmont Ghana Gold Ahafo Mine.
But, a visit by some members of the Journalists from Business Advocacy to the community, saw the absence of the contractor on site after reconstructing nearly 60% of the road with asphalt.
Buildings along the Kenyase-Hwidiem road are losing their original paintings as dust and mud from the stretch discolour their identities.
Economic activities along the untarred portions of the road are grinding to a halt with some local shops closing down.
A hairdresser at Hwidiem, Mercy Ebedawo has had to deal with the dusty road for three months now.
“The dusty really worries us. It’s better today. When the tricycle pass here they pollute the air with lots of dust. We always have catarrh,” she said.
It was a great relief for traders and road users when the reconstruction of the 8.2 km road commenced in 2022 with full sponsorship from Newmont Ghana Gold Limited.
The project, awarded to Kofi Job Construction, was originally estimated at GH₵70.3 million but halted in the early parts of the year.
JoyNews sources indicate the contractor demanded additional payments following inflationary pressures and the worsening road conditions.
This saw a re-evaluation of the contract cost to GH₵95.4 million to be absorbed by Newmont.
Sources at the mine indicate a full payment of cost was subsequently made to the contractor through the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
This is corroborated by the Akwamuhene of Kenyase No. 2, Nana Owusu Boadu Ayeboafo.
Acting President, Kenyasi No. 2 Traditional Council – Nana Owusu Boadu Ayeboafo
“We went for a meeting where Newmont informed us they’ve paid the contractor the new costs. But after payment we haven’t seen the contractor on sight again,” he said.
The project is presently only halfway completed with no sight of the contractor’s equipment on site for continuation.
“The stones on the road are cutting through our car tyres. It’s bringing a lot of problems to us. We have to service the car every two weeks,” Eric Ofori, a driver said.
Mercy alludes that: “Many shops along the stretch have had to close down. Because of the dust, the shops here are opened only during market days”.
The road is an important stretch linking Kenyase and adjoining communities to the main Kumasi-Goaso road.
Nana Boadu Ayeboafo slammed the Ghana Highways Authority for allowing full payment to the contractor without completing the work.
“We have never heard this before, that Ghana Highways Authority knows that the contractor has not completed the project, but you help raise certificates for Newmont to pay. We are advising them that they should not allow this to happen again because we have never heard of this anywhere before,” he lamented.
Youth in the communities are incensed by the abrupt abandonment of the road project, threatening to stage protests against the local government in demand for the completion of works.
Ahafo-Kenyase No. 2 Youth Development Leader, Abdul Karim Yeboah says the residents are unhappy with the development.
“Newmont has said in front of the regional minister, and we’ve seen documents confirming that the contractor has been paid. We will demonstrate to whoever is responsible to ensure that this road is fixed” he said.