Residents of the Salaga South Municipal and Kpandai District have appealed to the government to urgently intervene in the stalled construction of the Salaga–Kumdi–Kpandai road, describing its prolonged abandonment as a major obstacle to development and economic activity in the area.
The road, which stretches approximately 45.3 kilometres, is the only direct link between the two districts in the Savannah and Northern regions. It plays a critical role in the transportation of agricultural produce, commercial goods and access to essential social services.
According to residents, the road has featured prominently in successive election campaigns but has seen little tangible progress despite its strategic importance to food distribution and regional connectivity.
In 2019, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the construction of the road, with completion scheduled for 2023. However, work stalled by the end of 2021, leaving long stretches of the road in an unmotorable condition.
Communities including Kumdi, Kpandai, Kayereso and Salaga are frequently cut off during heavy rains, severely affecting access to schools, markets and healthcare facilities.
A resident of Kumdi, Mr. Maluu Tagar, said emergency cases often face life-threatening delays as vehicles, including ambulances, are unable to ply the road when it becomes flooded.
“The condition of the road is disturbing. It is difficult to use because of deep potholes, and commuters often arrive at their destinations exhausted and in pain. Something must be done to ease our suffering,” another resident, Vida Jagri, lamented.
The area is a major food-producing hub, supplying yams, maize and groundnuts to other parts of the country. However, residents say the deplorable state of the road has increased post-harvest losses, as farmers struggle to transport produce to market centres.
They also expressed concern about the poor condition of the Salaga–Loloto–Jamboai road, which connects the area to the Krachi Nchumuru District in the Oti Region. According to them, initial rehabilitation works on that road were abandoned years ago, further isolating farming communities.
Residents are therefore calling on the Ministry of Roads and Highways to investigate stalled road contracts and hold defaulting contractors accountable. They also want the Salaga–Kumdi–Kpandai road included under the government’s BIG PUSH Roads Agenda, citing its importance to the eastern corridor and national food security.
Responding to the concerns, the District Chief Executive for Kpandai, Mr. Haruna Abdul-Karim, acknowledged the challenges and confirmed that several road projects awarded under the previous administration recorded minimal progress.
He said the District Assembly is 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 has abandoned the project, the necessary steps will be taken to compel a return to site,” he assured.
