Residents of Menekpo-Kodjonya, a community on the main Somanya-Kpong highway are appealing for speed ramps to curb pedestrian knockdowns.

With about 15 people knocked down within a spate of one year, resulting in deaths and various degrees of injury; the residents say authorities must intervene.

According to the agitated residents, although blocking the road remains the only option for them, they have been restrained from taking such an action.

The Assemblyman for Menekpo-Kodjonya, Gabriel Tettey tells JoyNews, the community has rather contributed resources to adopt ingenious ways to slow down speeding vehicles and reduce the risk of knockdowns as a temporal measure.

These measures include the use of unorthodox materials such as laterite and ship ropes as improvised speed ramps in the area.

But the situation remains dire as residents are still compelled to cross the road daily to access various amenities including the community's public toilet, the only public basic school in the area, community library, water facilities, community football field, among others.

The Somanya-Kpong road, though in the Eastern Region, links the Greater Accra and Volta Regions.

Residents are therefore exposed to the dangers of speeding vehicles.

The residents; including the assemblyman for the area, opinion leaders, and chief, are therefore renewing their appeal to the Ghana Highways Authority and government to fast track the construction of speed ramps.

The Assemblyman who led residents on a self-help community exercise to fix ship ropes as the latest effort to stop the carnage said contrary to agitations from the youth of the area for a road blockade, they had resorted to following the mandated protocol instead.

Gabriel Tettey alleges that countless appeals to the Ghana Highway Authority, the Department of Urban Roads, and the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly to construct standard speed ramps in the area to save lives have fallen on deaf ears.

According to the Assembly Man, the current spate of road crashes and pedestrian knocked down required immediate action.

On his part, the Asawatse of Menekpo-Kodjonya, Nene Teye Adjiso III said the construction of speed ramps in the area is long overdue as opinion leaders continue to restrain agitated youth from embarking on a drastic action.

The chief noted that the most affected were the aged and children, and said several deaths and injuries had been recorded by hit-and-run drivers.

He called on the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, and the traditional authorities to support their appeal to save people in the area.