Residents of Hills View City, Tarkwa cry over GMC dusty haul road
A GMC truck on the dusty road
Correspondence from the Western Region
Read full articleThe people of Hills View city, formerly Kwamenakrom in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality have expressed worry about a dusty road causing health problems to them.
The said road was constructed by the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) as a haul road to cart the manganese from Nsuta Wassa to the port.
According to residents, their rooms and belongings are full of dust because the company does not water the road and this, they say is posing a health threat to the people living in the area.
They said “GMC has neglected us as if we are not human beings. Sometimes they don’t water the road, not even a single day. We have sent letters to them but to no avail. We and our children are falling sick all the time, they should do something about it for us.”
They added "Our food is always contaminated due to the dust. It is even worse on weekends because they do not water at all on weekends. Many of us cough with blood inside. They should find a lasting solution to the problem.”
They urged the company to water the road frequently and also construct speed rumps on the road in order to reduce the speed limit so that the dust can be suppressed.
Reacting to the plight of the Stakeholder Engagement Officer of GMC, Mr. Benard Obeng admitted that the complaints of the people have come to his desk several times, adding that the company has taken steps to suppress the dust by hiring a water bowser to water the haul road and other roads in the company’s catchment communities.
“We have been watering the road all the time unless the water bowser is faulty or is on maintenance,” he said.
Touching on the speed rumps, he said that will not be possible because the drivers find it difficult climbing the rumps because the gears of the trucks are different from the normal vehicles.
He explained, “that is why we have introduced our safety department to check the speed limit at that area, so we have safety officers who use guns to check it all the time.”
Mr. Obeng gave the assurance that the company is committed to making sure that the dust is suppressed all the time. He urged the residents to call the office and find out anytime they don’t see the bowser on the road.
