Women in the Bolgatanga Sherigu Community in the Upper East Region are expressing deep concerns about the impact of traveling on the stalled Bolgatanga-Sherigu-Naaga road, particularly for pregnant women.
The abandoned 30.85-kilometer Bolgatanga-Sherigu-Naaga road project, awarded to ARACO Construction Limited in 2018 and scheduled for completion within two years, has left vulnerable women facing life-threatening complications.
According to women who spoke to the media on the sidelines of a press conference organized by Sherigu residents demanding the immediate return of the contractor, the deplorable state of the road is causing excessive stress, premature labor, and delays in accessing healthcare, among other issues.
Priscilla Adombire, a resident of Dorongo, said, “This road is so bad, especially for us women. If you are pregnant and continuously traveling on this road, you are likely to have a miscarriage, preterm labor, or even stillbirth because of the long time it takes to reach the nearest referral hospital, which is the regional hospital.”
Madam Elizabeth, another resident, added, “I travel on this road every day to my work site, and sometimes I get to work very late because the road is not accessible. Whenever it rains, we women often fall multiple times on our way to work. It also affects school children, so we want immediate action.”
Another resident stated, “The road’s condition is very dangerous; you can easily fall off your motorbike. Imagine a pregnant woman on this road — it’s unbearable. We are really suffering, especially as women.”
Mary Azika, a senior midwife at the Bolgatanga Municipal Health Directorate, acknowledged the challenges pregnant women face traveling on bumpy roads daily and the risks involved. She urged pregnant women to exercise extra caution when traveling on such roads and to limit travel when possible.
Meanwhile, in their press release, community members issued a 10-day ultimatum from October 24, 2024, to the government and the contractor, demanding action. They warned that a massive protest against both ARACO Construction Limited and the government would follow if their demands are not met.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1MHz | David Azure | Bolgatanga
