Roads have become a major issue ahead of elections in December, as many communities are threatening to boycott the polls over bad roads.

Such is the posture of residents of Kenyasi and other towns in the Kwabre East District of the Ashanti Region who are exposed to uncontrolled dust.

Their reason is what they say is government’s failure to fix the deplorable Kumasi-Antoa Road despite several appeals and demonstrations.

The Duase-Kenyasi-Antoa road has been in this state for almost 8 years now. It has been shuffled, at least, among four contractors since 2007.

The nature of the dusty road now is making life unbearable for residents with residents and other road users becoming at risk of respiratory diseases.

One of them is Ama Agyeiwaa who explains his son developed a dust-induced infection.

Shop owners have been compelled to close down their shops because selling by the roadside has become risky to both sellers and buyers.

A few who brace through the heavily- polluted environment are aware of the consequences but explain they have run out of options.

A common scene to behold is many people with a handkerchief or scarf wrapped around the nose to prevent dust.

Motorists, especially commercial drivers who ply the route have their share in the danger. “ The potholes are gone now but the dust is too much, we always go home sick with cold and headache,” a driver explained.

Construction equipment had been abandoned at the time of my visit by two contractors.

Assemblyman for Kenyasi, Osei Owusu, says the contractor complaints about inadequate funds for expedited work.

Aggrieved residents of these communities give a hint of boycotting the upcoming polls until the road is fixed.

The stretch if fixed can ease traffic on the Buokrom and other link roads.        

It is just three miles or about five kilometres from the community to Kumasi, but using it appears as though it’s 10 miles or 16 kilometres.