Residents Laud Benjamin Oppong (Benito) for Self-Funded Reshaping of Critical Amansie Central Road
Residents, drivers and commuters along the Fenaso–Numereso–Nipankyeremia road in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region have commended businessman and engineer, Mr. Benjamin Oppong, popularly known as Benito, for personally financing and undertaking the reshaping of the badly deteriorated road to relieve years of hardship.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Oppong said the initiative was born out of deep concern for the suffering of his people, particularly during the rainy and dry seasons when the road becomes almost impassable. He explained that the deplorable state of the road has for years affected transportation, delayed emergency medical referrals and disrupted economic activities in the area.
According to him, he could no longer sit back and watch residents and drivers struggle daily or risk losing their lives due to the poor condition of the road. He revealed that several people have died on the stretch while being transported to health facilities or referred to Obuasi for further treatment, a situation he described as heartbreaking and avoidable.
Mr. Oppong noted that the road reshaping exercise forms part of his commitment to giving back to society and contributing to local development. He stressed that the poor nature of the road has discouraged commercial drivers from operating in the area, leaving residents stranded and making it difficult for farmers to transport cocoa, timber and other farm produce to market.
He further lamented that despite the area’s rich natural resources, including cocoa, timber and gold, the road network remains in a deplorable state. He therefore appealed to the government to urgently intervene by providing asphalt to properly tar the reshaped road and ensure a lasting solution to the transportation challenges facing the communities.
The engineer-businessman also called on individuals, corporate organisations and well-meaning citizens to support the ongoing effort, noting that development is a shared responsibility. He advised drivers using the stretch to exercise caution and observe road safety measures to prevent accidents.
On their part, residents, commercial drivers and motorbike riders (okada riders) expressed profound appreciation to Mr. Benjamin Oppong, popularly known as Benito, for his selfless intervention. They recounted years of suffering caused by the bad road, explaining that during the rainy season the road becomes muddy and impassable, while in the dry season it is dusty and extremely uncomfortable.
Some residents revealed that at times vehicles are forced to park in the middle of the road, compelling passengers to walk long distances and wait until drivers are able to continue their journey, a situation they described as distressing and unacceptable.
The residents collectively appealed to the government to come to their aid by tarring the Fenaso–Numereso–Nipankyeremia road to improve access to healthcare, facilitate the movement of goods and services, and boost economic growth in the communities. They also lamented the abandonment of the cocoa roads project by a contractor, which they say has worsened their plight.
They expressed hope that the self-funded intervention by Mr. Oppong will attract the attention of the relevant authorities and lead to a permanent solution to the long-standing road challenges in the area.
