Residents of Sapeiman and nearby communities have taken to the streets to demand the inclusion of a footbridge in the ongoing Nsawam–Pokuase highway project, citing the safety of schoolchildren and the elderly as their main concern.
According to them, the absence of a pedestrian bridge has made it dangerous for children to cross the busy highway to school each day.
Assemblywoman for Kuntunse, Honourable Ruth Amevade, speaking to Channel One TV reporters and monitored by NewsDesksGh from the protest grounds on November 4, said the demonstration was purely about the safety of residents.
“Our main concern is we need footbridge. We’re not demonstrating against the government for any other thing,” she said.
“Our school children need to cross the road. Our children need to go to school, the aged has to go out,” she added.
She explained that the community had exhausted all other avenues before resorting to the protest.
“We have met with the MCE. We have met with the opinion leaders. We have done everything possible,” she said, stressing, “Our story is simple, we need footbridge.”
One of the protestors also said they had earlier petitioned authorities but had yet to see any action.
“We wrote a letter to the council, to the MCE and they told us they will do the footbridge,” he said.
“We have schools and kids here that are crossing the road. There’s no footbridge. We talked to them, we wrote letter to the police stations but still there is no concern,” he added.
“Today we decided to do demonstration so that they’ll hear us, that this is what is going on, so the government will help us or the president will help us,” he said, noting that the demonstration was for the safety of the children.
“Not we the elders, but rather the kids that are crossing the road to schools,” he stressed.
Another protester lamented the daily danger children face.
“We have many children. We have children in KG crossing this road. And there is no footbridge,” she said.
