Wednesday, 3rd December, 2025
Hon Dickson Kyere-Duah
Berekum West
Mr Speaker, thank you very much, for the opportunity to deliver this urgent Statement on the issue that continues to endanger the safety, peace, and economic stability of the good people of Berekum West and Jaman South Municipalities. The matter before us today is the escalating number of armed robbery attacks along the JinijiniDrobo section of the Berekum-Sampa Road, a situation made worse by the poor condition of the road.
Mr Speaker, the Jinijini-Drobo Road is one of the most important corridors in the Bono Region. It connects two significantly populated municipalities, that is Berekum West and Jaman South, and links to the Sampa Border enclave, which serves as a major route for crossborder trade between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. The road facilitates economic activities, transportation of agricultural products, movement of goods and services, and serves as a key educational and administrative link.
Mr Speaker, unfortunately, this critical stretch of road has deteriorated into a near-death trap, with deep potholes, uneven spaces, poor drainage, and severely eroded portions. Motorists are forced to slow down drastically or swerve in dangerous patterns, creating ideal conditions for armed robbers to pounce.
Mr Speaker, in the last few months, there have been multiple cases of violent robberies, some occurring in broad daylight. Several passengers have been brutalised and their personal belongings and millions of cash have been stolen. Some of these incidents have left others severely injured, psychologically traumatised, and fearful of using this once vibrant route.
Mr Speaker, public transport drivers, traders, teachers, health workers, and farmers who ply this route on a daily basis are now living in fear. Some have even resorted to avoiding the route altogether. The Bono Regional Command, in collaboration with the Berekum Divisional Police, is doing their best with the limited logistics at its disposal.
Mr Speaker, some of the major challenges against the fight of this menace are inadequate personnel and the lack of dedicated patrol vehicles on the stretch. It is also clear that the terrain created by the deplorable state of the road makes policing extremely difficult. Criminals exploit the bad portions of the route and attack their victims.
Mr Speaker, let me emphasise that this situation is not merely a security challenge. It is also a direct consequence of the poor nature of the Jinijini-Drobo Road, which has created fertile ground for these criminals to operate. Mr Speaker, the stretch in question is part of the Jinijini-Sampa Road, which, fortunately, has now been listed under the Government’s Big Push infrastructure initiative. I am very grateful to the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways for his dedication to ensuring the completion of this project.
Mr Speaker, the ramifications of this matter are broad, as these developments threaten not only the livelihoods of the people but also the peace and stability of the Region.
Mr Speaker, given the urgency of the matter, I respectfully call for the following interventions: Deployment of enhanced police visibility by providing the Berekum Divisional Command with additional personnel, patrol vehicles, and logistics to intensify day and night patrols on the stretch, and fast-tracking the full construction of the JinijiniSampa Road by ensuring that the contractor mobilises fully to the site as soon as possible.
Mr Speaker, the people of JinijiniDrobo and surrounding communities are hard-working Ghanaians who seek safety, dignity, and the freedom to move without fear. This esteemed House has the responsibility to oversee and protect the welfare of its citizens. I respectfully encourage Parliament to pay close attention to this issue and support efforts to speed up security and road infrastructure improvements. As representatives of the people, we have a solemn duty to act.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for indulging me.
Hon Isaac Boamah-Nyarko
Effia
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to comment on the urgent Statement made by the Hon Member for Berekum West. Inasmuch as it is affecting his constituency, it is still a national issue for this House to join hands with him and see how best the problem can be resolved.
Mr Speaker, this is a Statement talking about the rampant armed robbery occurrences within the stretch of Jinijini, Berekum, and Sampa. According to the maker of the Statement, the armed robbery is being facilitated by the poor and devastating nature of the road. Coupled with it is the fact that people who trade within that particular stretch have their lives at stake because armed robbery can happen to anybody. It is not only those who live within the Berekum area who trade between the Jinijini and Sampa routes. We have people coming all the way from Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and the rest who go to those areas and buy products for their markets.
Mr Speaker, the road, according to the maker of the Statement, has now been captured under the Big Push initiative. But the difficulty, I have always said, is that yes, roads are being captured under the Big Push initiative, na sika no wͻ hen to construct the roads. So, it is good that it has been identified. But if we delay in the execution of the road projects, as we have seen over this year, when less allocation was made in the area of road infrastructural development, then this matter will be of concern to the good people of Berekum and Jinijini.
Mr Speaker, we still have concerns about police visibility and patrol on that particular stretch. I do not know whether this issue has come to the attention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), because when it comes to security matters, if it goes beyond the capacity of the divisional command and the regional command, then importantly, national headquarters would have to take up the issue for consideration. I will use this platform to call on the IGP, since this has been raised in this august House, to pay particular attention to the security concern, the presence of the police, to protect lives and property along that stretch.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I want to urge this House, as a matter of urgency, to call on the Minister for Roads and Highways to pay attention to all road infrastructure in this country. The Big Push should not be just talk. It should be work. And I am praying that in the year 2026, money will be released. We have seen in this Budget that Government has not released money for the construction of roads. So, I sympathise with my Brother from Jinijini. I hope that through the Big Push, based on this conversation, the road will be constructed.
Mr Speaker, without more, I want to thank you.
Hon Andrew Dari Chiwitey
Sawla/Tuna/Kalba
Thank you so much, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to comment on the Statement, ably delivered by the Hon Member for Berekum West.
Mr Speaker, his Statement is one that is waking all Ghanaians up. I travelled on the stretch of road that the Hon Member spoke about a number of times when I was a teacher in Sunyani. I had a family friend in Sampa, so I used that road very often. That road is not a mere road. It is an international road that links Ghana to the Ivory Coast. You can travel form Drobo through Suma-Ahenkro to Sampa, and then you can cross to Bondoukou in Ivory Coast. So, it is an international road that needs a lot of attention.
Mr Speaker, in his delivery, he made us aware that armed robbers have taken over the road and are troubling the people who travel on that road. I do not intend to generate debate, but it is a fact that for the past eight or nine years, Ghana witnessed a lot of challenges as far as work on our roads are concerned. In my debate on the Budget, I raised the issue of the past government declaring twice “the year of roads”, but we never saw the quality roads. The people of Jinijini, Drobo, Suma-Ahenkro, and Sampa are struggling and suffering on that bad road because we never saw good works done on our roads during the administration of the past government. But good news has come. My Brother who just spoke, let me remind him that as for the NDC Government, we are people who speak and deliver.
So, like I said, I do not intend to generate debate, but he should rest assured that the Big Push is not going to be a mere talk. We are going to walk our talk. We have already started seeing the signs. Another assurance that I would want to give my Brother on the other Side is that the Road Fund has come to stay. Government is putting in place the board of directors, and very soon we will have some funds from the Road Fund to work on similar roads. So, the people of Jinijini and Berekum West in general, should rest assured that the solution is coming.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity. We will continue to work to serve our people better.
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