Hundreds of inhabitants in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis in the Western Region have staged a protest march under the banner of ‘Sekondi-Takoradi Deserves Better‘, expressing their frustration with the current state of affairs.
The demonstrators asserted that the Twin City has long suffered from neglect by successive administrations, with authorities failing to prioritize the necessary development initiatives for the region.
Samuel Appiah Gyimah, known as GH Bishop and the convener of the protest, emphasized that the deteriorating condition of the roads served as the primary impetus for the demonstration.
“People are scared to speak up in Sekondi Takoradi because of political witch-hunting. Look at the Essipon Sports Stadium, it is currently in a total mess and nobody seems to care. Our Cultural Center is in a sorry state, nothing has over the years been done about it. Traffic lights have been off for over five years and our roads are very bad. That is what we are seeking answers from our leaders.”
Samuel Appiah Gyimah
Carrying placards bearing various inscriptions, the demonstrators embarked on a march from Takoradi to Sekondi, aiming to vocalize their grievances. Their protest culminated at the Western Region Coordinating Council, where they sought to present their petition, intending for it to present it to the Regional Minister in-person.
Regrettably, the Western Region Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, was not present to receive the petition. Despite the unavailability of the minister, the protesters remained adamant, refusing to entrust their petition to a representative and insisting on a direct meeting with the regional minister.
“They said someone else should come for the petition but we are not giving it to anyone apart from the regional minister. We will go back and stage another demonstration until we hand over our petition to the minister. We voted for him and he has refused to attend to us, that is total disrespect, but we shall come back for the second time,” one of the protesters, Nana Quasi-Wusu, indicated.
Popular rapper Stephen Siaw, known on stage as Ayisem, who participated in the demonstration, indicated that the Western Region has over the years refused to produce any proper entertainment center for programs. He adds that the Center for National Culture which has a bigger auditorium is currently in a bad state.
“The demonstration is about Sekondi Takoradi and we are all involved. I’m here purposely for the Center for National Culture and other entertainment venues. We have no proper venues in Sekondi Takoradi to entertain our fans. We are here to present a petition to the regional minister but he has refused to attend to us so we are trying to get him to have it. If he refuses to come out, we shall go and come back later.”
Stephen Siaw
Government’s Commitment To The Development Of Western Region
Ahead of the planned demonstrations, Sekondi’s Member of Parliament, Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer, previously vigorously contended that substantial endeavors are underway to generate the necessary investments crucial for the progress of the Western Region. He enumerated some ongoing projects in the region and expressed his shock at some people’s deliberate neglect of the government’s efforts in the region.
He thus argued that rather than demonstrate against the government, he would have wished that residents would engage the Regional Coordinating Council instead. He gave assurance to the readiness of the Regional Minister, MPs, and MMDCEs to dialogue on developmental issues within the region.
“I will do my best, with what I have and to the best of my abilities to ensure that Sekondi gets its due”, he emphasized.
