There is excitement and relief in the Obuasi Municipality of the Ashanti Region as residents of Wamasi and Kɔkɔtenten shower praises on businessman and philanthropist Mr. Joshua Agyei for constructing a five-kilometer road linking the two communities. The project, which cost him millions of Ghana cedis, has brought to an end years of transportation challenges that residents endured due to the deplorable nature of the road.
For more than a decade, the stretch had remained in a poor condition. During the rainy season, it became muddy and nearly impassable, cutting residents off from markets and schools. In the dry season, it turned dusty and unsafe, affecting visibility and creating health hazards. These difficulties gave drivers the excuse to overcharge passengers, forcing market women, farmers, and schoolchildren to pay exorbitant transport fares.
Speaking to the media after the completion of the project, Mr. Agyei, a native of Mamasi, explained that his decision to construct the road was inspired by both his roots and the blessings he has received in his business. According to him, God has caused his work to flourish, and it was only proper to use part of his wealth to bring comfort to his people.
“For more than ten years, the people of Mamasi 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,” he said. He, however, appealed to government to tar the road permanently in order to preserve it for the future.
Mr. Agyei noted that this is not the first time he has contributed to development at the grassroots. In previous years, he has supported various communities with school buildings, financial assistance to the needy, and other charitable projects. He described this latest intervention as part of his lifelong commitment to giving back to society and to the people who nurtured him.
He also used the occasion to call on other businessmen to take their corporate social responsibility seriously by investing in the communities they serve. According to him, when successful individuals contribute to social development, the impact is felt more directly, and government’s burden is eased.
The philanthropist further made a passionate appeal to government to step up regulation in the mining sector. He stressed the need to separate legal miners from illegal operators whose destructive activities continue to pollute Ghana’s rivers and water bodies.
Residents of Mamasi and Kɔkɔtenten, in their appreciation, described the road project as a life-changing intervention. They recounted years of suffering, particularly during the rainy season, when movement was almost impossible and fare exploitation by drivers worsened their plight.
“We have suffered a lot during the rainy and dry seasons. Drivers charge unapproved fares because of the poor road. We are very grateful to Mr. Joshua Agyei for helping us,” a resident said.
The people also echoed his call on government to tar the road, insisting that the gesture deserves to be complemented with a lasting solution.
Mr. Joshua Agyei’s intervention has not only improved transportation but also rekindled hope, proving that when individuals give back to their communities, the impact can be felt for generations.
