The communities of Wamasi and Kɔkɔtenten in the Obuasi Municipality of the Ashanti Region are celebrating a major development milestone following the construction of a five-kilometer road by renowned businessman and philanthropist Mr. Joshua Agyei. The road, which cost him millions of Ghana cedis, has brought relief to residents who had endured over a decade of hardship caused by its deplorable state.
For years, the road was almost impassable. During the rainy season, it became flooded and muddy, cutting off residents from markets, schools, and health facilities. In the dry season, thick dust made travel unsafe, created health concerns, and worsened the discomfort of road users. These poor conditions gave drivers reason to inflate fares, a burden that fell heavily on market women, farmers, and schoolchildren.
Speaking to the media after completing the project, Mr. Agyei, a proud native of Wamasi, explained that his decision to construct the road was both a personal and spiritual obligation. According to him, God has blessed his business greatly, and it was only right to give back to his community in a way that would impact lives for generations.
“For more than ten years, the people of Wamasi and Kɔkɔtenten have suffered. Market women and residents were being overcharged by drivers because of the bad road. That is why I decided to construct this new road to make movement easy for the people. God has blessed the work of my hands, and I felt it was my duty to also be a blessing to my people,” Mr. Agyei said.
He called on government to tar the road permanently to ensure its durability and to complement the investment he has made.
This, however, is not Mr. Agyei’s first philanthropic gesture. Over the years, he has supported several communities by building schools, providing assistance to the less privileged, and undertaking other social projects. He stressed that development must not be left to government alone and urged his fellow businessmen to embrace corporate social responsibility by investing in the welfare of the communities in which they operate.
Mr. Agyei also used the platform to make a passionate appeal to government to intensify regulation of the mining sector, calling for a clear distinction between legal miners and illegal operators whose activities continue to destroy rivers and water bodies across the country.
Residents of Wamasi and Kɔkɔtenten have expressed deep gratitude to Mr. Agyei for his intervention. They described the road project as life-changing, noting that it has already eased movement, reduced transport fares, and restored dignity to their daily lives.
“We have suffered a lot during the rainy and dry seasons. Drivers charged us unapproved fares because of the bad road. We are very grateful to Mr. Joshua Agyei for helping us,” one resident said.
The residents also joined Mr. Agyei in appealing to government to tar the road to make it more sustainable and to ensure that future generations continue to benefit from his benevolence.
Mr. Agyei reaffirmed his commitment to his hometown and surrounding communities, promising to initiate more developmental projects that will improve education, infrastructure, and general wellbeing. He emphasized that as a son of Wamasi, he considers it a lifelong duty to contribute to the progress of his people.
