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Tension in Ohwimase as Residents,Drivers Protest Alleged Takeover of Community Lorry Station for Private Fuel Station
Source: Justice Baffour, managing editor,www.dailywatchgh.com-0247930931
Score of aggrieved residents and commercial drivers at Ohwimase in the Kwadaso Municipality of the Ashanti Region have mounted a strong protest over what they describe as an alleged attempt by a private individual to take over their community lorry station for the construction of a private fuel filling station.
The aggrieved residents say the lorry station has for many years served as a key transport hub connecting several communities, and any attempt to convert the land for private commercial use will severely disrupt transportation and affect the daily lives of hundreds of commuters.
According to them, the facility plays a critical role in the movement of traders, workers, and students who rely on the station as their main point of transport.
They insist that losing the station would create serious congestion and transport challenges within the area.
The protesters further allege that the supposed takeover of the land was carried out without consultation with the Kwadaso Municipal Assembly, traditional authorities, or key stakeholders within the community, a move they say undermines due process and the collective interest of the people of Ohwimase.
Drivers operating from the station also voiced deep concern, warning that the removal of the lorry station would not only collapse an important transport terminal but also create chaos for the many surrounding communities that depend on the facility.
They further pointed to the presence of the nearby government-built Creative Arts Senior High School, which has already increased human and vehicular traffic in the area.
According to them, scrapping the station at a time when transport demand is rising will worsen the situation and negatively affect students and residents.
The residents are therefore passionately appealing to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Ashanti Regional Minister, and the Kwadaso Municipal Assembly to urgently intervene and halt any attempt to convert the public transport station into a private filling station.
Backing the residents’ concerns, the Assembly Member for the Ohwimase,Hill Top Electoral Area, Hon. Isaac Siaka, strongly condemned the alleged move, stressing that the purported sale or takeover of the land did not receive approval from the Municipal Assembly or the traditional leadership of the area.
Hon. Isaac Siaka described the development as deeply worrying, noting that the lorry station remains a lifeline for many communities that depend on it for daily transport.
He therefore called on government authorities and relevant stakeholders to immediately investigate the matter and take decisive steps to protect the interest of the community.
The residents have meanwhile warned that they will not remain silent over the issue and will continue to raise their voices until the appropriate authorities intervene and provide clear answers regarding the status of the land.
For further information, the Assembly Member for the Ohwimase-Hill Top Electoral Area, Hon. Isaac Siaka, can be contacted on 0244482025.
