Attempts by Pastor of Christ Power Miracle Mission, Reverend Anthony Kwarteng, to construct an abandoned road in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency with his personal resources have hit a solid brick wall.
Some individuals and officers from the Ga East Municipal Assembly have reportedly made it a mission to impede this effort and obstruct the construction of the road.
Speaker of the Ghana Parliament and former MP for the area, Hon Mike Aaron Oquaye, began the construction between 2001 to 2008, but the road has since been abandoned by his successor.
Construction of Agye Nyame street
The Agye Nyame Street, which connects Taifa to the Dome main road, has since Hon. Mike Oquaye’s tenure as MP, never seen any development.
The situation has led to perennial flooding in the area which mostly causes serious havoc to lives and properties.
The pastor, popularly called Abeyifuosuro, whose church is located along the stretch decided to construct the abandoned road to allow free-flow of traffic and ensure easy access between Taifa and Dome.
The ongoing construction works on the road, which is about 70% done is, however, facing serious setbacks.
Information indicates that the Municipal Assembly headed by its Chief Executive, Madam Janet Tulasi Mensah, looking at the immense work done by the pastor, gave him the green light to continue with a promise the Assembly will ensure a washing bay hindering the construction is demolished.
Municipal Assembly U-turn
Surprisingly, the Assembly has suddenly made a U-turn and issued a stop notice on the construction work, apparently because of the washing, which belongs to a lecturer at the University of Ghana, one Mr. A Obeng.
The said washing bay is preventing Reverend Anthony Kwarteng from continuing the project.
According to the Reverend, he has come a long way with the construction and could not stop because of the washing bay.
Several petitions he presented to the Municipal Assembly and the Member of Parliament (MP) have fallen on deaf ears.
According to him, the road project that he has taken upon himself to construct will help the country and for that matter, the washing bay must be demolished for the construction works to continue.
Reverend Anthony Kwarteng who has so far spent over GH¢80,000.00 has received no support from the government, the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya or the Ga East Municipal Assembly even though he wrote several petitions to that effect.
Information indicates that engineers from the Ga East Municipal Assembly have visited the area on countless occasions to take stock of happenings there and also saw the work being done by the Pastor.
The Assembly has, however, not offered any support to that effect. There is also no attempt by the Assembly to cause the demolition of the said washing bay built on a major road to allow the construction to continue.
Washing bay owner emboldened
The lackadaisical attitude of the Assembly has rather emboldened the washing bay owner to raise his wall causing total blockade to the road.
“This is a project that the government through the Assembly or the MP must undertake, but no. They left if unattended to for all these years. Yet when I, as an individual, took it upon myself to construct it, some people are blocking the project on one hand, and on the other hand, not even the government, MP nor the Assembly has offered to help,” Reverend Anthony Kwarteng lamented.
According to him, he has already invested a lot into the project and would welcome support to allow him to complete the construction.
Reverend Anthony Kwarteng stated that he has written petitions on the matter to the MP, Adjoa Sarfo, the Ga East Municipal Chief Executive as well as the Department of Urban Roads but nothing has been done.
Reliable information gathered by this publication indicates that some officials from the Municipal Assembly have entered into some agreement with the owner of the washing bay who plans to demolish the washing bay and build stores instead, hence the decision by the Assembly to frustrate efforts of the pastor so he would discontinue the road construction.
Assembly officers raid church
Meanwhile, speaking on Vision 1 FM last Wednesday, Madam Janet Tulasi Mensah admitted that the said washing bay operator has no permit covering his business, hence it will be demolished to pave way for the construction of the road.
However, five days after she made such pronouncements on radio, the Assembly stormed Reverend Anthony Kwarteng’s church and handed him a warning letter to stop further works on the road.
Construction materials were seized and earth moving equipment and excavators that were being used to construct the road were stopped by officers from the Assembly.
Residents have expressed disappointment in the MCE and her people for stalling the construction of the road which will be of tremendous benefit to the community.
“I wonder why the MCE would do that. The Assembly failed to do this and somebody is using his personal funds to make sure what the Assembly is unable to do is completed and he is being frustrated,” one angry resident said.
By Prosper Agbenyega II Frontpageghana.com
