Residents of Kunkua- Jadima communities along Yagaba in the Mamprugu Moagduri District of North East Region have threatened to boycott December 7 elections if government fails to fix their road and bridge culvert.

They said the government’s refusal to fix their road, which has been abandoned for four years now, is hampering development.

An abandoned culvert between Kunkua and Jadima leaves motorists and other commuters stranded whenever it rains because people are unable to access nearby communities.

Speaking to Wesaygh News, the residents said the situation is making it difficult for them to be able to access healthcare in other areas especially when carrying a patient at night, adding that it has also slowed down business and economic activities.

A journey of one hour from Kunkua to Yagaba now takes about two hours because motorists are compelled to pass through Fumbisi in the Upper East Region as an alternative route before going to Yagaba.

A resident of the area, Kwabena Coffie said the communities are well prepared to face off any politician that will attempt to campaign in the area.

He said they have been deceived many times by politicians who only know them when it is election time.

“Now that government has not been able to fix our road we too will not vote. Anytime we vote we don’t get the benefit; If we vote they don’t do anything for us, they go and never come back,” he stated.

Some SHS students that were left stranded after returning from school in Walewale said the vehicle they were onboard got stacked for four hours before community members came to their aid.

They said at the onset of rains they risk being cut off from the rest of the world and therefore appealed to government and the district assembly to immediately fix their road.

A development person, Mr. Seidu Jeremiah whose organization is working and supporting communities in that part of the country on how to save and generate their own income, he called on government to speed up processes for the completion of the abandoned culverts.

He said the government declaration ‘the year of roads’ should not be rhetoric but action.

Jeremiah raised concerns about how people are losing their daily income due to the problem of an abandoned culvert.

He said if this culvert is filled up it will cut down the cost and time people spend on the road.

Jeremiah also lamented how cattle dealers and traders are suffering in transporting their animals and goods to market places such as Fumbisi, Yagaba, and others.

“We think it is about time that if we declared 2020 as ‘Year of Roads’ we need to really see the year of roads in action and not the year of roads in words and or in rhetoric” he stated.

He said with COVID 19 pandemic people are already bearing the brunt of economic hardship and therefore it is the responsibility of government to have the culvert completed and keep businesses back on track.

He mentioned about eight culverts that have been left abandoned between Kunkua and Zanlo road.

Jeremiah  urged the government to get the contractor back to the site and they ensure immediate completion of the culverts to allow easy access and time.