School children from Midie in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region are forced daily to wade barefoot through thick mud and stagnant water to go to school.
The schoolchildren carry their school bags and shoes in their hands as they struggle to access school through a dangerous stretch of road linking their community to Aminapa.
A visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) showed some younger children being assisted by older siblings and mates to cross the slippery portions of the muddy road, which residents say becomes almost impassable during the rainy season.
According to residents, pupils from Midie cross an estimated 50-metre muddy stretch daily before reaching the Aminapa D/A Basic School, the only nearby basic school serving the community.
Parents who spoke to the GNA said the situation worsens anytime it rains, exposing the children to danger and affecting school attendance, noting that a child had previously lost her life while attempting to use the road under similar conditions.
Mr Thomas Korley, a resident and parent, said the community had, over the years, received several promises from political leaders regarding the rehabilitation of the road, but no lasting intervention had been made.
“It has not been easy even for adults to use the road, not to talk of schoolchildren who cross it every day to go to school,” he stated.
He expressed disappointment over what he described as repeated unfulfilled promises from authorities, stating that “as for our MP, she only knows how to promise. I don’t want to talk about her.”
Another resident, Mr Isaiah Korle, said appeals had been made on several occasions to the assembly member, district chief executive, and member of parliament, but the dangerous section of the road remained unattended.
“They keep telling us they will come, but nothing happens. What if our children die while trying to cross the stream?” he questioned.
He noted that although a part of the road was gravelled under the previous administration, the most dangerous section was left out.
Madam Angel Esther, a salt miner in the community, said the poor road network was also affecting economic activities in the area.
According to her, buyers often refuse to travel to Midie to purchase salt due to the poor condition of the road, especially during the rainy season.
She said transporting foodstuffs and other goods to nearby markets had also become difficult because commercial motorbike riders were reluctant to use the route when it rains.
Other residents said the community lacked a junior high school, compelling pupils to travel either to Togbloku or Pute for their education, about three kilometres from the Midie.
They noted that the distance and poor nature of the road placed enormous pressure on both parents and students, particularly during the rainy season.
“Our men and youth have motor tricycles, but they cannot use them to transport salt because of the road. Most times, we hire tractors before we can move the salt to the markets,” they added.
When contacted, Mr Prosper Tetteh Puplampu, Assembly Member for the area, confirmed the concerns and said efforts were underway to temporarily address the situation.
According to him, he had appealed to both the DCE and the MP to provide gravel to fill the dangerous section of the road pending a major road construction project.
“That portion will be fixed before Sunday. The MP has directed that some trips of gravel be sent to temporarily address the situation,” he told GNA.
