Residents of Bremang a vibrant and growing community in the Suame Municipality of the Ashanti Region, are calling on authorities to act swiftly to avert further tragedy, as the number of students killed by speeding vehicles along the main road has risen to six in just six months.
The grieving community says these fatalities, involving school children who were crossing the road after school hours, have left families shattered and residents living in fear. Many blame the absence of speed control measures such as ramps along the dangerously busy stretch of road that cuts through the heart of the area.
Speaking during a recent stakeholder engagement organized by the Suame Municipal Assembly, residents, traditional leaders, and education stakeholders painted a grim picture of the safety challenges in Breman Teachers. The forum, part of a district-wide consultation to inform planning and budgeting priorities, quickly became an emotional session, with residents recounting harrowing incidents and demanding immediate action.
One visibly distressed parent, whose child narrowly escaped being hit, said, “The pain we go through each time we hear a child has been knocked down is unbearable. These deaths are preventable. We are not asking for much – just speed ramps to slow down these vehicles.”
Community members argue that without speed ramps, reckless drivers continue to endanger the lives of school-going children, especially during early mornings and after-school hours when traffic is at its peak.
In addition to the demand for speed ramps, residents also raised red flags over a deteriorating footbridge that serves as a key connection point for pedestrians, especially school children. According to several speakers at the forum, the structure is in a deplorable state and poses a significant safety risk, particularly during rainy periods when it becomes slippery and unstable.
Some parents shared worrying accounts of children falling from the weak footbridge, with others saying they have resorted to walking long distances to avoid using it altogether. They called for the immediate rehabilitation or reconstruction of the bridge before disaster strikes.
Hon. Nana Obuor Sika, Assembly Member for the Kantinka Donkor Fordjour Electoral Area, who was also present at the meeting, lent his voice to the community’s calls. He praised the Suame Municipal Assembly for holding the consultation session but urged that their listening be followed by tangible action.
“I want to commend the assembly for coming to the people to hear our concerns directly. But it should not end here. As a matter of urgency, I appeal to the Suame Municipal Assembly to construct speed ramps to prevent further loss of life. We also need the footbridge fixed and other pressing challenges addressed swiftly,” he said.
Hon. Obuor Sika further emphasized the need for development to be people-centered and driven by the realities on the ground. He stressed that safeguarding the lives of children must be treated as a top priority in any developmental plan.
Municipal Planning Officer, Mr. Opoku Busia, assured residents that their grievances have been noted and will be factored into the assembly’s planning. He, however, urged community members to support the assembly by paying their taxes to strengthen its internally generated funds (IGF), which is crucial for addressing such pressing needs.
Traditional leaders present at the forum also echoed the concerns raised by residents and called on the assembly to respond promptly to the situation before more lives are lost.
As the community awaits concrete action, the hope of many in Breman Teachers is that their cry will not go unheard this time — and that future reports from the area will no longer carry the sorrowful news of young lives lost on the road.
