Residents along the stretch from Castle Road to Kingdom Books in Osu, Accra, have opposed a government proposal to convert the road into a dual carriageway, citing concerns over the demolition of ancestral homes and the loss of their cultural heritage.

The proposed expansion forms part of national development projects planned to mark Ghana’s 70th independence anniversary next year.

At a stakeholder engagement with officials from the Department of Urban Roads, the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly and other government representatives, residents rejected the proposal, arguing that the properties earmarked for demolition are traditional family homes with deep historical and cultural significance.

One resident suggested an alternative arrangement that would minimise the number of affected properties.

"The thing about the dual way is that we think that there are other alternatives to doing it. You can have one way from Kingdom Books all the way to the Black Stars Square, and the other one will pass through the other side, which comes to the Lokko Road so that we really minimise the impact on houses that will be destroyed," the resident said.

Another resident expressed concern about the impact of turning the road into a dual carriageway on the character of the Osu community.

"Our fear is that when it is made a dual-carriage, people will just go like water. They are typical Osu people, you cannot take it away from them. It is just not comfortable with us."

The residents maintained that the affected buildings represented ancestral connections and heritage passed down through generations.

The meeting was intended to address their concerns and find a way forward on the proposed construction. However, the discussions ended without an agreement, with residents maintaining their opposition to the demolition of their homes.

Following the disagreement, the Municipal Chief Executive for Korle Klottey, Alfred Alortey, said his office remained open to further dialogue with the residents.

"We are pleading that if they have any grievances, they should come to us," he said.

He added:

"But what we are saying is that, we have time limit. We have just about seven to eight months to make this project visible."