August 2, 2021
By Mohamed M. Sesay
Residents at the Bawoma-Goderich in the western rural area have raised concern over the poor road network at Metchem Junction leading to the Bawoma town. According to them, the condition of the road is causing accidents and the pot holes are very much dangerous for their kids, and it is not healthy for the people in the surrounding and they are therefore calling on the Government for urgent intervention.
Like many other communities across the country, this is what people at Bawoma, Metchem Community go through on a daily basis due to the amount of pot holes and dust of the hunted road at Metchem Junction. Motor Bike Riders and vehicle drivers have complained and raised concerns of facing difficulties while riding on the road.
A-Z News made a spot visit on Thursday the 29th July at Metchem Junction, Goderich Community to ascertain the reality on the ground.
Speaking to A-Z News, a bike rider, Joseph Ansumana Saidu said the Metchem-Bawoma Road is terrible, adding that they are going through a lot of pains coupled with increases in reported cases of accidents in the last three months.
“We are just riding on this road but we are not safe. We are tired of riding on this terrible road. We are therefore calling on Government to come and complete this road. It has been total suffering for us since this road project started in 2015. There are a lot of health hazard implications while riding on this road. I am pleading to the Government to construct this road for us. Our people are suffering,” the bike rider pleaded.
The motorcyclist further expressed that it is not easy for them reiterating that the bad road network has resulted to a number of reported accidents that occurred on the road almost on a daily basis.
“In December 2020 to this July, we need reported a number of accidents about 9 which I am aware of. There is not a single day that we will not hear about accidents on this road” he stated.
Alusine Brima Jay, a resident at Metchem also disclosed that the status quo of the Metchem -Bowman Road is a death trap, revealing that they have a very good number of government officials who are residents of the community and who do ply on the road on daily basis but the road has been neglected. “This road is a death trap; it serves over 20 thousand residents in this community but yet still it is being neglected by the government. This road project started with the road leading to the former president’s residence, Ernest Bai Koroma. But as I am speaking to you now that road has been completed long since. And there was a signed board posted at the junction on the completion of the road but since then we have not seen any work being done by anyone” he explained.
Mabinty Kamara, a trader at Metchem Junction also expressed her frustration over the terrible conditions of the Metchem-Bowman Road. She explained that recently a young girl fell in one of the drainages and she was seriously wounded. She appropriated the blame to the contractor for failing to cover the drainage with slabs. “We are really suffering on this road. Recently, in front of my shop a young girl fell in this drainage and she was severely damaged. She therefore called on government to expedite the road project in that part of the city in order to prevent future accidents.
A Cassette seller, Foday Mamud Conteh, also pleaded to the Government to speedily commence the road project as it is causing a serious health hazard to the people of the community noting that, they have made these calls on a number of occasions to the authorities but to no avail.