Five farming communities in the Ayensuano District have appealed to the Department of Feeder Roads for the rehabilitation of their roads to facilitate the transportation of their farm produce to marketing centres.
The communities include Marfokrom, Abiesikrom, Obowunsu, Tomkrom, Awereso, Bada, Mamakrom and Akotuakrom, all near Coaltar in the Eastern Region.
Nana Abiesi Kumi II, the Chief of Abiesikrom in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after holding a meeting with the farmers, said the deplorable nature of the roads in the area was not encouraging drivers to ply the place.
He said the situation was depriving the farmers and their families their livelihoods since they could not transport their farm produce to sell and had to put them into abject poverty.
"My people are compelled to carry their foodstuffs to Marfokrom about seven kilometres journey and struggled over vehicle to transport their wares to the marketing centres before they could make some money to cater for their families," he said.
Nana Kusi said their situation becomes more precarious when they have to transport the sick to the clinic or hospital for medical attention, saying; "patients are to be carried on the shoulder by their relatives to the clinic at Marfokrom."
He said the education of the children in the communities were being affected since they have to walk long kilometres to school and that their problem could be solved when the roads were rehabilitated.