The prolonged neglect of a critical culvert bridge at Adedease-Asougya in the Sunyani East Municipality of the Bono Region has once again placed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) under public scrutiny, following the intervention of the Nkorsohene (Development Chief) of the Nankwtewa Traditional Area, Mustapha Meshark.

The culvert project, which has remained incomplete for nearly 16 years, is being blamed by residents for persistent flooding and the steady deterioration of road connectivity in the area.

Community members say successive NPP Members of Parliament for Sunyani East failed to prioritise the project, despite repeated appeals and the growing risks it poses to lives, livelihoods and property.

One of the abandoned culverts was initiated during the tenure of the late J.H. Mensah, who served as Member of Parliament for Sunyani East around 2001 under an NPP administration.

However, the project was never completed and has since fallen into disrepair, leaving what critics describe as a stark symbol of long-standing infrastructure neglect.

As a result, the original road linking Adedease-Asougya has become largely impassable, forcing residents to rely on an alternative route that is considered unsafe, particularly during the rainy season.

The issue has taken on renewed political significance following the intervention of Nkorsohene Mustapha Meshark, whose actions have reignited debate about development performance, accountability and commitment to rural infrastructure in the constituency.

Speaking in an interview, the Development Chief said his intervention was driven by the urgent need to bring relief to a community that has been neglected for years, despite its economic importance.

“We are here this afternoon to offer some relief to the people by enhancing their primary access road.

Although it is a feeder road, the hardship experienced here is severe,” he said.

Adedease-Asougya is largely an agrarian community, with cocoa farming forming the backbone of the local economy. However, the poor state of the road linking the community to the Atuahene stretch has significantly disrupted farming activities, trade and daily commuting.

In response, Mustapha Meshark said he mobilised his team to provide gravel to fill pot-holes and temporarily improve sections of the road, easing transportation challenges for farmers, students and traders.

Beyond the immediate intervention, the Development Chief used the opportunity to call on government officials, civic-minded individuals and development partners to support the community.

He warned that conditions worsen drastically during the rainy season due to poor drainage and unfinished infrastructure.

He disclosed that more than three bridges along the route have culverts that were constructed but never properly filled, turning the road into what he described as a “nightmare” whenever it rains.

“These unfinished culverts have placed the community under considerable stress.

When it rains, students struggle to get to school, farmers cannot transport their produce, and traders suffer losses,” he noted.

While commending President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister for Roads and Highways for initiating the government’s “Big Push” infrastructure programme, Mustapha Meshark stressed that Adedease-Asougya requires urgent and targeted attention.

He appealed to the Roads Ministry to prioritise the area, arguing that even without immediate asphalt surfacing, a properly constructed and motorable road would significantly improve living conditions.

For many residents, the abandoned culvert has come to symbolise years of stalled development and unfulfilled political promises.

As calls for accountability intensify, community members hope the Development Chief’s intervention will finally prompt government action and bring an end to what they describe as decades of neglect.