Mr Alex Djonoborh Tetteh, the Member of Parliament for Sefwi-Akotombra, and Mr Yawson Amoah, the District Chief Executive, have cut the sod for the construction of an 11. 5-kilometre Kolbas-Oppongkrom Junction-Tanogya cocoa road.

The road, linking eight farming communities, is being executed by Reliance Construction Limited, under the Ghana Cocoa Road project.

Mr Tetteh said funded by the Ghana COCOBOD, the road was expected to be completed in 12 months to link the various farming communities.

Some of the beneficiary communities are Asarekrom, Manukrom Junction, Oppongkrom, Congo, Kroboline, Mafeadu and Adawumensah.

Mr Tetteh said the bad road network was a major challenge in the Akontombra District and that government’s priority was to improve on it.

That, he said, would help open the District to investors to boost the local economy.

The former Western North Deputy Regional Minister said the Government, through the Ghana COCOBOD, had awarded some roads in the District on contract.

He expressed optimism that the Akontombra District would get its fair share of the “year of roads initiative” announced by the President.

The DCE, on his part, commended the Government for the infrastructural development in the area and asked the farmers to give the contractor the needed assistance to ensure the completion of the project on schedule.

Nana Kofi Oppong, Odikro for Oppongkrom, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiary communities, expressed happiness for the development.

He said successive governments had failed to construct that portion of the road despite the residents' pleas.

"We are grateful to the government, the Member of Parliament and District Chief Executive for Akontombra for connecting telecommunication network to this area. We can now make phone calls without any challenge," he said.

Nana Oppong said, when completed, the road would improve upon the lives of residents, mainly cocoa farmers, and pregnant women who went through stress before being transported to the nearest health facility to deliver.

The Odikro lauded the collaboration between Mr Tetteh and the District Chief Executive, which, he noted, had brought about development in the area.

He appealed to President Akufo-Addo to consider re-appointing Mr Yawson as the DCE to ensure further development.

Nana Kwasi Bosomafe, in charge of Reliance Construction Works Limited, the firm working on the project, told the Ghana News Agency that the 11.5- kilometre road would be constructed in two phases.

The first phase is from Oppongkrom Junction to Oppongkrom and the second phase would be from Manukrom to Mafaedu.

A total of 49 culverts would be constructed before the road is tarred and the whole project would be completed within 12 months.

Nana Bosomafe promised to execute a good job and commended the beneficiary communities for their cooperation.