OBO and Aduamoa, two of the numerous towns on the picturesque Kwahu Mountains, are noted for two specific things.
While Obo, which is dotted with most of the finest buildings in the Kwahu area, is often referred to as “Small London,” the much smaller Aduamoa is noted for the production of the bulk of the tiger nuts in the area, thus creating jobs for many people.
The production and sale of the tiger nuts, which are sent to other parts of the country, coupled with the mass movement of the people to Obo, especially during the Easter, normally makes transportation between the two towns, Obo and Aduamoa, very difficult.
This is because one has to pass through a semi-circular route from Nkwatia, Mpraeso and Obomeng before getting to Obo or Aduamoa, a distance of nearly 18 kilometres.
What is more worrying is that tiger nut farmers, who, due to the high transport charges, cannot afford to send their produce to the outside market through the 18-kilometre route, are forced to carry the nuts on their heads from Aduamoa to Obo through a footpath of approximately four kilometres.
The situation, as expected, has put a severe strain on travellers and revellers, as well as hindered agricultural production, especially the cultivation and sale of tiger nuts, the mainstay of the people of Aduamoa.
To address the problem, early this year the chief of Aduamoa, Nana Onini Afari II and the chief of Obo, Nana Afari Buadjan II appealed to the government through the Kwahu South District Assembly to convert the four-kilometre footpath between Obo and Aduamoa to a road to link the two towns.
In response to the request, the assembly, under the direction of Mr Joseph Omari, the District Chief Executive (DCE), decided to construct the road with funding from the Canadian Development Agency (DANIDA) through the Community-Based Rural Development Programme.
The road, which is estimated at GH¢300,000, is being constructed by Dan Bort Company Limited.
Constructional works on the road, which are currently progressing steadily, started in July, this year, and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
According to Mr Omari, on assumption of office last year, he paid a familiarisation visit to the Aduamoa area and acquainted himself with the problem.
He said while the assembly was planning to see how best to resolve the problem, Nana Onini Afari and Nana Afari Boadjan also requested the government to construct the road, which, the DCE stated, had been the dream of the two traditional rulers to materialise in their lifetime.
“I am happy because we are almost half way through with the construction of the road, which will shorten travel time and at a lesser cost, as well as open up the area and make it possible for cottage industries to spring up, especially the processing of the tiger nuts with its attendant job creation for the unemployed to earn a living and improve their lifestyle,” Mr Omari stated.
The DCE said mass movement of people, mostly Kwahus from Ghana and the Diaspora, as well as Ghanaians who normally throng the area for the Easter celebrations for sight seeing, would be tremendously improved and the distance shortened following the construction of the road.
Conducting Mr Omari round the project site on the outskirts of Aduamoa at the weekend, the Site Engineer of Dan Bort Company Limited, Mr Paul B. Angerun, said although his outfit was facing a big challenge of heavy downpour, making it almost impossible for the earth-moving equipment to work, he was hopeful that the project would be completed on schedule.
The construction of the new road has been hailed by the people who considered it as the panacea to their transportation difficulties, especially the carting of tiger nuts.
One of the inhabitants, Opanin Kwadwo Asiedu of Aduamoa, was full of praise for the assembly for its rapid response towards the construction of the road, describing it as the best project in the area.
“We have for a long time carried our farm produce on the head and this will soon come to an end,” Opanin Asiedu stated.
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