Lacck Of Communication Network Crawls Our Development : We Need Government Support-Nana Sakawa Cries Out

Afepaye is a notable farming community in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region that produces large quantities of cocoa and other food crops, contributing significantly to Ghana's economy and food security.

However, despite its rich agricultural potential, the community remains one of the most deprived in terms of social amenities and infrastructure.

Trekking from Barniekrom to Afepaye alone covers almost 13 kilometres of dusty and deplorable road, yet residents struggle to make phone calls or access the internet due to total absence of communication network.

Speaking in an interview with the media, Nana Kwadwo Simon, popularly known as Sakawa, a polling station chairman of the NPP and a respected opinion leader in the area, lamented that the lack of network is seriously affecting their livelihood and security.

According to him, farmers cannot call for help in times of emergency, students cannot access online learning materials, and traders find it difficult to do business transactions on their mobile phones.

"Technology has turned the world into a global village and we cannot be left out. We are appealing to government, the Ministry of Communication and the telecommunication companies to come to our aid by erecting a communication mast for us," Nana Sakawa appealed.

Touching on the road network, the opinion leader also bemoaned the deplorable state of roads linking Barniekrom, Krachikrom, Adukrom, Nagoole and Afepaye enclaves.

He revealed that the situation has been worse since 2012, with the roads becoming virtually impassable during the rainy season, making it extremely difficult for farmers to transport their cocoa and foodstuffs to market centres. This, he said, leads to post-harvest losses and exploitation by middlemen.

Nana Sakawa therefore made a passionate appeal to government, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council and the Atwima Mponua District Assembly to intervene and rehabilitate their roads to ease their suffering and boost agriculture in the area.

He stressed that fixing the roads and providing network connectivity will not only improve their living conditions but also help increase productivity and revenue for the district and the nation at large.

Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Mponua, Hon. Ibrahim Issahak, has assured the good people of Afepaye to remain calm, as the district is working to ensure they benefit from one of the communication masts requested under the Ghana Rural Telephony Project.

According to the DCE, government is committed to bridging the digital divide and improving road infrastructure in deprived farming communities like Afepaye to boost agriculture and improve livelihoods.

Sompaonline.com/Bawa Baidoo