Residents of the Brekusu-Kwabenya enclave in the Greater Accra Region have taken to the streets to protest the poor state of roads in the area, saying the situation is affecting their health, businesses, vehicles and access to essential services.The residents, who held placards with messages including “Fix Our Road”, “Save Our Health, Protect Our Livelihood”, “Bad Roads Are Causing Us Our Health” and “No Child Should Suffer to Get to School”, called on the government and the relevant authorities to urgently rehabilitate the road.The demonstration caused some gridlock on the affected road during the morning as residents gathered to draw attention to what they described as years of neglect.One resident, who said she had lived in the area for almost 42 years, appealed to the government to intervene.“I have been here for almost 42 years. I am appealing to the government to come and fix the road for us,” she said.According to her, the road had remained in a poor condition for many years, leaving residents to endure difficult conditions.“We are suffering. When we pick passengers, and they get there, the cars don’t want to go again,” she said.Another resident, Bright, said he had lived in the area for about 30 years and questioned claims that a contractor had been assigned to work on the road.“I have been here for about 30 years. The last time the Roads Minister went to Parliament, he said there was a contractor working on this road. There is no contractor on this road,” Bright said.He said residents wanted the government to know that no visible construction work was taking place.“We want to let the government know that there is no contractor on this road. The dust is killing us. We can’t even wear a white shirt to work,” he said.Bright explained that the dusty conditions had become part of residents’ daily lives.“When we’re going to work, we have to wear red to go. You can’t wear white,” he said, appealing to the government to fix the road.A resident carrying a placard that read “Save Our Health, Protect Our Livelihood” said the poor road was taking a toll on people who lived and worked in the area.“My life is very, very important to me. I’ve worked around the Dome-Kwabenya-Brekusu-Kitase road for about 20 years now, and the road is still the same,” the resident said.Another protester said residents were frustrated by the amount of dust generated by vehicles using the road.“We are very angry. The dust on this road is no joke. The government should come and fix the road for us,” the resident said.For some residents, the poor road is not only a health and transport concern but also a threat to their livelihoods.A resident carrying a placard that read “Our MP Has Disappointed Us” said the condition of the road had made it difficult for him to attract customers to his business.“I’m a resident here, and the road is really bad. I’m an agent, and I don’t get customers as I’m supposed to get,” he said.He explained that he sells land and rents properties, but potential customers were reluctant to visit or live in the area because of the road.“I sell land, and I rent properties. Due to the bad roads, people don’t want to come and stay around here,” he said.He appealed to the government to fix the road so that businesses in the area could thrive.“I am appealing to the government to help fix the roads so we can get more clients so that we can survive,” he said.He also raised concerns about the impact of the dust on residents’ health, saying attempts to reduce the problem by watering the road had not provided a lasting solution.“The dust is not good for our health. They try to water it, but it’s not sustainable. The road needs to be fixed,” he said.The resident also recalled attempts by the previous government to fix the road during its eight years in office.“When the previous government was in power during the eight years, they brought a contractor to come and work, but we didn’t see anything,” he said.He said residents were now looking to the current administration and the new Member of Parliament for the area to address the problem.“We have a new government, a new MP, so we’re pleading with them to help us,” he said.Another protester said the poor condition of the road had affected both residents’ health and their vehicles.“In fact, because of the road, I had a waist problem. I’ve had a lot of problems with my car. Currently, my shock absorbers are not working. My engine is gone,” he said.He also recounted a fatal accident which he attributed to the dangerous condition of the road.“There’s so much dust that one time a lady who was walking by the roadside was hit by a car because of the potholes. Another car was dodging potholes, and unfortunately, he ran into the lady, and she died,” he said.He said the incident was a further indication of the urgent need for the road to be fixed.“So this road, we need the road to be fixed,” he said.When asked whether he was confident that the demonstration would prompt action from the government or the Member of Parliament, the resident appealed directly to President John Mahama and the relevant authorities.He also appealed to the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Elikplim Akurugu, and other stakeholders to intervene.“I’m also appealing to the Ministry of Roads and Highways and then to the honourable Member of Parliament here, Dome-Kwabenya, Elikplim Akurugu, and to all the stakeholders to fix this road for us,” he said.He emphasised the importance of the road, saying it serves as a link between Accra and parts of the Eastern Region.According to him, the turnout for the demonstration showed the level of concern among residents.“We are hoping that with this demonstration, the government will hear and see, because the number of people who have trooped here today, it means that we need the road to be fixed,” he said.The protesters said they wanted work on the road to begin immediately, with one resident calling for its completion before the end of the year.