Billows of brown dry dust have discoloured green vegetation along Kutukrom in the Western Region into a near-permanent brown.  

The billows are blinding and dense as a fog, hampering driving and leaving motorists with the persisting risk of accidents.

Cars that make it through the 30-minute drive, come out looking mined out of the many illegal mining sites dotted within the community.

A huge 4x4-wheel drive had just conquered the road but not until the severe dust had painted brown, its blue hue and dust filtered through into the bonnet.

There is no telling that this town benefits from cocoa it produces, the gold it mines and the tonnes of foods carted out of its lush forests.

The town looks raped and exploited for the good of everybody else but the residents.

A settler for the past 10 years, Ama, complained about how a simple road stretch is stretching her budget beyond its limits.

"Almost everything is expensive here, even two cedis worth of red oil will not be enough to fix a simple meal. I prepared soup yesterday hoping it will last three days. But I am currently on my way to Prestea to get more food items because we have exhausted everything. The road is to blame for all of these".

Foodstuff gets pricey after a dusty journey on the Kutukrom road in the Nzema East district of the country's breadbasket - the Western Region.

Watching pedestrians use the road was depressing. They were buffeted by the dust non-stop and closing the eyes to preserve vision could be dangerous because a motorist could knock you off.

The road is a respiratory challenge.

One townfolk said it is a very hectic time bargaining with drivers to compensate them for transporting them or their goods into Kutukrom.

But he said he fears the worst when pregnant women in labour or the sick in need of urgent health care need to brace the road to save their own lives.

The raining season doubles the stress, struggles, danger and difficult economic life on the own.

 And so in Kutukrom, the residents who spoke to Joy News did not have a bucket list of needs they want the government to address.

They all had just one deep emotional plea- fix the road.

After a return trip from the town, I was given a souvenir,  a brownish dirty top of what only an hour ago was my clean white top. 

Watch the video report below: