Residents of Somanya, Odumase, and Kpong in the Eastern Region staged a massive peaceful demonstration on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, to protest what t
Residents of Somanya, Odumase, and Kpong in the Eastern Region staged a massive peaceful demonstration on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, to protest what they describe as years of government neglect over the deteriorating Somanya–Kpong road.
The protest, which received the approval of the Ghana Police Service, was spearheaded by a coalition of youth and civil society groups, including Kloma Hengme, and Dangme Youth for Development.
Background to the Protest
The demonstration comes after several months of back-and-forth engagements between the Krobo leadership and government authorities.
In July 2025, the Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Awatey, intervened to suspend an earlier planned protest after assuring local leaders that the contractor working on the Somanya–Kpong road would return to the site by the first week of October 2025.
The minister’s assurance came during a meeting at the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly, which was attended by both Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Chief Executives, police commanders, and community representatives.
At the meeting, the Regional Minister also directed the two municipal assemblies to water the dusty and eroded portions of the road as a temporary measure.
However, according to the local groups, the contractor failed to return to the site as promised, prompting renewed anger among residents who say their livelihoods and health continue to suffer due to the deplorable state of the road.
In a letter dated September 29, 2025, addressed to the Eastern Regional Minister and copied to the Ghana Police Service, traditional authorities, and Members of Parliament for Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya Krobo, the groups expressed disappointment at the government’s silence and warned that they would proceed with the postponed demonstration if the October deadline was missed.
Police Grant Green Light for Peaceful Demonstration
Following a final preparatory meeting with the Somanya District Police Commander, Superintendent Kingsley Abrokwah, and the Odumase-Krobo Police Commander, ASP Bright Kwabena Asare, the police officially approved the demonstration. The meeting, held on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, concluded with assurances of maximum security for all protesters.
The police, while giving their consent, urged organizers to educate participants on maintaining peace and order during the exercise.
The coalition subsequently announced that the protest would begin at 6:30 a.m. at the Somanya Roundabout, proceed along the main Somanya–Odumase–Kpong Road, and end at the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly in Odumase-Krobo.
The Road at the Center of the Crisis
The Somanya–Kpong road, a key highway connecting communities in the Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo municipalities to the Eastern Corridor, has been in a deplorable state for several years.
The road is riddled with potholes and eroded portions that have made travel unsafe, particularly during the rainy season.
Residents say the poor condition of the road has led to frequent vehicular breakdowns, increased transport fares, and poor access to healthcare and markets.
Local transport unions, traders, and motorists have repeatedly appealed to the government for rehabilitation works to resume.
The situation has also affected economic activities in the Krobo area, which serves as a major link between the Eastern and Volta Regions.
Community Mobilization And Night Works
On Monday night, ahead of the protest, residents reported seeing road construction equipment—referred to locally as “DRIP machines”—working on sections of the road under floodlights.
However, community leaders have dismissed the late-night activity as a last-minute attempt by authorities to dissuade protesters from hitting the streets.
“As of 9:30 p.m., they were still working with headlights and street lights, but that does not erase years of neglect,” one resident said.
Despite the presence of machinery, the organizers have confirmed that the protest will proceed as planned.
“Nothing stops it. Every Krobo son and daughter must come out in numbers,” the coalition declared in a statement Monday evening. “This is a peaceful demonstration to remind the government of our suffering and demand action, not promises.”
Unity Beyond Politics
Organizers have also emphasized the non-partisan nature of the protest, calling on citizens to put aside political affiliations.
“For one day, let’s remove the NDC and NPP hats and speak as Ghanaians,” the statement read. “We are united by our pain and by our demand for decent roads.”
Next Steps
The coalition has vowed to continue peaceful advocacy until visible work resumes on the road.
They have also hinted at a petition to be presented to the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council and the Ministry of Roads and Highways after the march.
Meanwhile, residents say they will not back down until the Somanya–Kpong road, which has become symbolic of infrastructure neglect in the Krobo area, is fixed.
“We’ve been patient for too long,” said Isaac Tamatey Otu, Chairman of Kloma Hengme. “This is not about politics—it’s about dignity, safety, and development.”
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