Residents in the Salaga South municipal and Kpandai areas have appealed to the government to intervene in the stalled construction of the Salaga–Kumdi–Kpandai road, describing its prolonged abandonment as a major setback to development and economic activity.

The Salaga–Kumdi–Kpandai road remains the only direct link between the two districts in the Savannah and Northern regions and serves as an important route for the transportation of agricultural produce, commercial activities and access to social services.

According to the residents, the road has featured prominently in successive election campaigns over the years but has seen little tangible progress, despite its critical role in food distribution and regional connectivity.

In 2019, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the construction of the 45.3-kilometre road, with a planned completion schedule of 2023. However, construction stalled by the end of 2021, leaving large sections of the road in an unmotorable state.

Communities such as Kumdi, Kpandai, Kayereso and Salaga are frequently cut off during heavy rains, affecting access to schools, markets and healthcare facilities.

A resident of Kumdi, Maluu Tagar, said emergency cases often face delays because vehicles, including ambulances, are unable to ply the road when it floods.

 “The condition of the road is disturbing. It is difficult to use due to deep potholes, and commuters often arrive at their destinations exhausted and in pain. Something must be done to ease our suffering,” Vida Jagri said.

Kpandai and Salaga are major food-producing areas, contributing significantly to the supply of yams, maize and groundnuts to other parts of the country. However, residents say the deplorable state of the road has worsened post-harvest losses, as farmers struggle to transport produce to markets.

They further expressed concern about the poor condition of the Salaga–Loloto–Jamboai road, which links the area to the Krachi Nchumuru District in the Oti Region. According to them, initial rehabilitation works on the road were abandoned years ago, further limiting access to farming communities.

The residents are therefore calling on the Ministry of Roads and Highways to investigate stalled road contracts and ensure that contractors who failed to deliver are held accountable.

They also want the Salaga–Kumdi–Kpandai road to be considered under the government’s Bigh Push Agenda, citing its strategic importance to the eastern corridor and national food supply.

The District Chief Executive for Kpandai, Haruna Abdul-Karim, in an interview with Graphic Online, acknowledged the concerns and said several road projects in the district awarded under the previous administration had recorded little progress.

He said that the Assembly was engaging the Department of Urban Roads to verify the status of the contractor responsible for the Salaga–Kumdi–Kpandai road.

“If it is established that the contractor abandoned the project, the necessary steps will be taken to compel a return to site,” he said.