Road users and traders along the Ahenema Kokoben-Anwiankwanta road in the Ashanti region are living in fear after an abandoned project now riddled with gullies reportedly claimed about 16 lives in one year.

Contractors demolished structures along the single road to pave the way for its dualization but have since left the site for unknown reasons.

It was in 2021 when the government resolved to reconstruct the Ahenema Kokoben-Anwia Nkwanta road into a dual carriage road.

Buildings and makeshift structures along the shoulders of the stretch were cleared to make way for the upgrading of the road.

After months of construction work which saw grading of the road, the project has been abandoned.

Mud and dust cover both sides of the road with portions of the tarred road deteriorating.

“I have to irrigate the stretch with my water tanker to reduce the dust on the road,” a water tanker driver said.

Gully eating into portions of Ahenema Kokoben - Anwiankwanta road

A more perilous sight on the road is the huge gullies eating into the road.

According to residents, the gullies have claimed several lives and pose a danger to road users.

“My brother passed away after his car veered off the road into one of the gullies along the stretch. He perished with 16 others on board the car,” a resident recounted. 

A driver, Nana Mensah, also recounted a near-death experience after an oncoming vehicle veered off the road at Pakyi No. 1 into a nearby gully.

“Since the project began, I’ve witnessed at least three accidents. It’s scary when you meet an articulated truck on the road. We’re pleading with government to continue the project,” he said.

Dominase lorry terminal occupied by petty traders after demolition of makeshift structures for road expansion

The abandoned road is bringing economic activities at Dominase, a suburb along the stretch, to its knees.

“Bread is the favourite of all, but people hardly buy ours due to the dust. They’re always complaining. Business isn’t booming. We deliberately put stones here to stop the drivers from over-speeding, but they move them away,” Maadwoa Achiaa noted.

It remains unclear why the project has stalled for months now.

But for the time being, residents, road users and traders along the stretch live in terror hoping the road project is completed and the gullies are covered.