Sokode community want redesigning of Gbogame-Ho dual carriage road for easy access, curb rampant accidents

The traditional leadership and faith-based organizations in Sokode Etoe in the Sokode community have appealed to higher authorities to revert to the original plan for the construction of the Sokode Gbogame-Ho dual carriage road.

They said the original plan would create easy access points and install necessary road signs to reduce the frequent road accidents on the newly constructed highway.

On Friday at dawn, traditional leaders and faith-based organizations, including the Muslim community in Sokode Etoe, conducted intercessory prayers at key points along the new dual carriageway. The prayers, which extended from the UHAS junction roundabout to the Sokode Senior High Technical School gate, were aimed at appeasing both the God to address the excessive road crashes.

The prayer session, led by the heads of the faith-based organizations, began with traditional prayers and the slaughtering of a live animal at the UHAS Junction. This ceremony was witnessed by members of the Ghana Police Service’s MTTD, clergy, and the community.

The community believes that both physical factors and spiritual elements contribute to the frequent accidents on the highway. They suspect that previous fatalities, which claimed lives but were not followed by purification rites, have led to recurrent incidents, particularly at the UHAS Junction Roundabout, known for frequent fatal crashes.

Prayer topics included petitions for God to separate the spirits of the deceased from the living and to guide drivers at all times. Alhaji Alhassan, who led the Muslim prayers, noted that their session coincided with worldwide prayers in Mecca, expressing hope that Allah would hear their prayers and respond to their pleas to make the road safer.

Addressing the gathering at the Sokode Senior High Technical School gate after two hours of prayers at key accident spots, Togbe Awi, the Dutor of Sokode Etoe, appealed to higher authorities. He called on the Ghana Police Service, National Road Safety Authority, GPRTU, the regional minister, and the municipal executive of Ho to support the community’s advocacy for appropriate actions to address the concerns raised by the traditional leadership and the Assembly member.

Togbe Awi mentioned that the community had raised concerns during the construction phase to the Urban Roads Department and the Ghana Highway Authority, but these concerns were ignored. He highlighted the need for a U-turn between Sokode Etoe and Gbogame near the secondary school and the creation of a bus stop to serve the school and the abattoir. He also pointed out the incomplete bus stop in Etoe Township and questioned the technical decisions behind the road’s construction. He urged the MTTD and NRSA to address the barrier opened at Sokode Lokoe before the roundabout and consider its removal.

The Assembly member, Hon. Macbillion Dickson Junior Bansah, expressed confidence that the prayers would have a positive effect. He called for collaboration among all authorities to address the road safety issues and challenged the road safety authorities to follow through on erecting road signs at crucial points.

In an earlier interview on the Volta Express Show on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, Dutor revealed that the regional minister and the municipal chief executive had assured him of their commitment to join the community. They plan to collaborate with the National Road Safety Authority, Ghana Highways, and the Urban Road Department to tour the road and identify concerns for necessary action.