Businesses along the 4-kilometer road connecting Sagnani/Nyanshegu to Kalpohin in the Sagnarigu municipality are folding up due to the deplorable nature of the road.
THE CUSTODIAN has observed during a visit to the community on Friday, September 1, that several shops and containers on the stretch have been shut-down by the owners and operators.
Hitherto, the road used to be one of the busiest routes in the Nyanshegu/Kalpohin enclave and economic activities thriving in the area.
However, the story is not the same today as several portions of the road have turned into gullies, harvesting volumes of rain waters anytime there is a downpour.
THE CUSTODIAN Northern Regional Correspondent, Mohammed Gadafi, witnessed the struggle and difficult commuters go through on the deplorable road Friday morning when he visited the community.
Parents who were seen on their motorbikes with school children have to maneuver their way through to other parts of the municipality.
Some angry residents in an interview said politicians who will visit the community to campaign prior to the 2024 general elections will face their wrath.
According to them, all efforts and pleas to get authorities in the municipality to the road constructed has fallen on deaf ears.
Seidu Sulemana, a shop owner on the stretch said the state of the road is very bad to extend that it is difficult for cars and motorbikes to travel on it.
“As soon as the rains set in nobody can use the road and so it is a very bad situation for us; we are therefore appealing to the authorities to come to our aid.”
According to him, revenue collectors from the Sagnarigu municipal assembly used to come around to take taxes from all shop owners along the road, a situation he intimated has stopped because there is nothing for them to collect anymore.
Seidu Sulemana said they have also witnessed a number accidents occurring on road involving motorists using the stretch and several tricycles carrying goods breaking down as well.
Another resident who identified himself as Sahad stated their children are usually knocked down motor riders who managed use the pedestrian walkway in front of their houses.
“Like my brothers earlier said, we’re NDC’s and NPP’s in this area but this time, no NDC, no NPP. If nothing is done and this road gets into an election year, we all vote at Kalpohin Senior High School, we have three ballot boxes there, we’ll block and no one in this area will vote and that’s what we’ve decided to do” he added.
Madam Alice, an operator of fashion design shop said she has been working in the area for over 20 years and that business was booming when people could access the area when the road in good shape.
She however lamented the situation has adversely affected her business in the last the 4 to 5years since the road became unmotorable.
Meanwhile, some of the residents have said there are rumors that the road has been given to contract but that no contractor has moved to the site or come to engage them about the project and the plans for the construction.
The UN sustainable development goal 8 advocates for Decent Work and Economic Growth among the inhabitants but this deplorable road network means the people’s socioeconomic livelihood is being threatened.
