By Ashiadey Dotse
A protest by youth in Shama-Nyankrom in the Western Region on Monday, May 4, brought movement in the area to a standstill for several hours, disrupting both industrial transport and the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The demonstrators blocked the main road by burning car tyres and mounting barricades, despite the presence of police officers at the scene. The action caused heavy traffic and prevented vehicles from moving in and out of the town.
The protest also affected the transportation of raw materials to major manufacturing companies, including Twyford Ceramics and Marco Polo Tiles, as trucks carrying clay were unable to pass.
More critically, several BECE candidates and their teachers were left stranded and could not reach their examination centres on time. Some candidates waited for hours as the roads remained blocked, raising concerns about delays in the nationwide examination.
The protest was organised by a group known as Nyankrom Concerned Youth, which says it is unhappy with the poor state of roads in the area and what it describes as the government’s failure to fix them.
Speaking to Channel One TV, the group’s leader, Israel Kwesi Eshun, said the protest followed the expiration of a one-month ultimatum given to authorities to ensure contractors returned to site to repair the roads.
According to him, the situation has worsened due to the activities of heavy-duty trucks serving the tile companies, which have damaged the road and made it almost unusable.
He warned that the protest may continue if authorities fail to act, highlighting growing tension in the community over poor infrastructure and its impact on daily life.
