Residents or 47 communities in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality in Ashanti Region would soon heave a huge sigh of relief as a major problem of bad road network in the area is about to be addressed.
Out of the 500 kilometres of the road network in the entire Municipality, only 49 is said to be tarred.
For the last seven years, some communities have had to cope with the deplorable roads, thus affecting their livelihoods. Farmers, who represent 70% of the population of the Municipality, experience post harvest losses as it is difficult to transport their produce to the commercial centres, especially during the rainy season.
While drivers complain of regular breakdowns of their vehicles due to the bad nature of the roads, the sick, especially pregnant women cope with the situation at the peril of their lives with few surviving the ordeal they undergo.
James Koduah, Assembly Member for Betiako Electoral Area, the Ahafo Ano North Municipal Assembly is unable to allocate resources to the rehabilitation of the roads, because its Internally Generated Fund is very low.
Realising the plight of the people, Mr. Kwaku Fosu Frimpong, a philanthropist and business consultant, has come to their rescue.
He has embarked on reshaping bad roads in the area out of his own resources, and has hired an excavator for that purpose.
Some of the communities to benefit from the rehabilitation exercise include Manfo, Subriso, Sikafremogya, Ankaase, Akrofonso, Twabide, Mfante, Timbaabi, Abetiako, Danyame, Abonsuaso and Anyinasuso.
Last Monday, the three week-long rehabilitation exercise started at Manfo after the Agona Abusuapanin of Manfo Nana Antoa Mensah and stool elders had poured libation for the successful implementation of the work.
Nana Mensah pledged his support for Mr. Fosu Frimpong’s political ambition and appealed to the delegates to give Mr. Fosu Frimpong the nod to represent the constituents at the National Assembly to further seek their welfare.
The residents have hailed their benefactor, described as their “saviour”, for coming to their aid after years of neglect.
Madam Agnes Nimoh, a farmer, commended the philanthropist for the sacrifices he was making for the people.
Romeo Kwabena Amoateng, a Polling Station Chairman at Subriso-Mfante, said no driver or passenger plied stretches of roads in the area.
David Kpaah indicated that several complaints about the poor nature of roads to the authorities concerned have not yielded any positive results, and saw Mr. Fosu Frimpong as a God sent to redeem them from their predicament.
A driver, Julius Asamoah, wished that the delegates would vote for Fosu Frimpong if he contested the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries to bring more development to them.
A woman, simply called Mama Gee, was amazed at the voluntary spirit of their benefactor who has never stopped at seeking the welfare of the people.
Mr. Fosu Frimpong noted that he had taken note of the plight of the people over the years, and upon a careful assessment, decided to help to complement efforts by the government to provide social amenities to the communities and residents.
He said his philanthropic activities gave him the leverage to serve the people, hence, his resolve to generously donate his time, money, experience, skills or talent to promote the welfare of others and help create a better world.
He has, therefore, declared his intention to aspire for the Ahafo Ano North parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NPP when nominations open.
According to him, his aspiration and the mandate of the people would urge him to do more for the area.
Meanwhile, Kwaku Fosu Frimpong has facilitated the installation of a mast by the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) at Numasua to serve the surrounding communities.
When completed the people would no longer be faced with challenges in communication.
