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Artisans and traders at Suame Magazine on Thursday, November 20, blocked parts of the road to protest excessive dust caused by stalled construction works on the Suame four-tier interchange.
They said the dust, which has persisted for weeks due to abandoned works, is affecting their health and businesses. Despite several appeals for authorities to regularly water the road to reduce the dust, no action had been taken.
An artisan, Kankani Dramani, told Citi News that the demonstration was a direct reaction to the halted project, stressing that the dust was posing serious health risks.
A trader, Lizbeth Nyame, added that the dusty environment was hurting her business. “I sell water and bread, but customers avoid my products because the dust settles on them,” she said.
Another trader, Nana Antwi, said colleagues had repeatedly complained about the situation and urged authorities to water the roads while waiting for construction to resume.
The blockade caused heavy traffic on inner-city routes, prompting Kumasi Mayor Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi to intervene. After engaging the protestors, he acknowledged their concerns and assured them that steps were being taken to fast-track the project.
He noted that Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene is in Accra seeking solutions to both the Suame interchange and the Bekwai–Santansi road projects.
The Mayor also said his office is collaborating with the Suame Municipal Assembly to ensure regular watering of the road.
Traffic has since been restored, but the artisans and traders have given authorities a one-week ultimatum to address the dust problem.
