Dodome residents petition government over nine-year road abandonment

Residents of Dodome, a farming community in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region, have petitioned the government over the abandonment of a critical access road that has remained unfinished for nine years, leaving commuters, farmers and traders to contend with severe transportation challenges.

The Petition

The petition, submitted to the Ho Municipal Assembly and copied to the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, calls on the government to urgently complete the Dodome–Ho feeder road, which residents say has been left in a deteriorated state since construction work stalled in 2017.

According to the residents, the road, which connects Dodome and its surrounding farming settlements to the Ho township, was partially graded and graveled before work abruptly stopped. Since then, erosion and heavy rains have washed away large portions of the gravel surface, creating deep gullies and making the road nearly impassable during the rainy season.

Impact on Livelihoods

Dodome is predominantly an agrarian community, with residents relying on the cultivation of maize, cassava, yams, cocoa and vegetables for their livelihoods. The poor state of the road has made it difficult for farmers to transport produce to markets in Ho and beyond, leading to post-harvest losses and increased transportation costs.

“During the rainy season, vehicles cannot reach our community. We carry our produce on our heads for several kilometres before we can get a vehicle to Ho,” one resident told the Volta Region correspondent. “Our yams and cassava rot in the fields because we cannot get them to market in time.”

Traders who ply the route also complain of frequent breakdowns and high maintenance costs, with some commercial drivers threatening to withdraw their services entirely. Residents say the situation has also affected access to healthcare, as pregnant women and the sick struggle to reach hospitals in Ho during emergencies.

Students Affected

Schoolchildren in the community have also been hit hard by the abandoned road. Many students who attend schools in Ho and neighbouring towns reportedly arrive late or miss classes entirely during the rainy season because the road becomes unmotorable.

Residents are calling on the government to prioritise the completion of the road, which they say was a key campaign promise made to them by successive political administrations.

Calls for Government Action

In their petition, the residents are demanding:

· The immediate release of funds for the completion of the Dodome–Ho road
· A clear timeline for the resumption and completion of construction works
· Transparency in the awarding and execution of the contract
· A meeting between community leaders and officials of the Ho Municipal Assembly and the Volta Regional Coordinating Council to discuss the way forward

They have also threatened to embark on a demonstration if the government fails to respond to their concerns within two weeks.

Background

The Dodome–Ho road is one of several feeder roads in the Volta Region that have been abandoned mid-construction over the past decade. Successive governments have promised to improve rural road infrastructure in the region, but many communities continue to face poor road networks that hinder economic activity and access to basic services.

The Volta Region, despite being one of Ghana’s key agricultural producers, has historically lagged behind in road infrastructure development. Communities such as Dodome, Kpando, Anfoega and others have repeatedly appealed to the government for road improvements, with little success.

In recent years, the government has announced various rural road development programmes, including the ambitious “Year of Roads” initiative, but residents say these programmes have yet to reach their community.

Municipal Assembly Responds

Officials at the Ho Municipal Assembly, when contacted, acknowledged receiving the petition and said they would forward it to the relevant ministries for consideration.

“We are aware of the challenges facing the Dodome community, and we will do our best to ensure that the road is captured in the next phase of road development in the municipality,” a municipal official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Residents Determined

Residents say they will not relent until their concerns are addressed. “We have waited nine years. Our patience is exhausted. We are not asking for anything extra; we just want the road that was promised to us,” a community leader said.

The petition is the latest in a series of appeals from rural communities across Ghana demanding better road infrastructure, highlighting the persistent gap between government promises and the reality on the ground for many ordinary Ghanaians.