Kloma Hengme to Stage Protest Over Abandoned Somanya–Kpong Highway

A Krobo-based youth and advocacy group, Kloma Hengme, has announced a public protest set for Thursday, July 24, 2025, to demand urgent action on the abandoned Somanya–Kpong Highway project.

In a statement issued to the press, the group expressed growing frustration with both local and national authorities for failing to address the worsening state of the road, which has become a major hazard for thousands of commuters, schoolchildren, health professionals, and traders in the Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo municipalities.

Although relatively short in distance, the road is seen as a vital economic and social link within the Krobo enclave. Kloma Hengme revealed that the stretch had been officially added to the larger Nkurakan–Trom road project under an addendum from the Ministry of Roads and Highways and awarded to General Construction Ltd.

While construction reportedly began in July 2024, progress came to an abrupt halt due to what the group describes as the previous administration’s failure to fulfill payment commitments. Since then, the road has deteriorated significantly, with “thick dust, deep potholes, and dangerous conditions” now part of daily life for road users.

“Kroboland cannot wait in perpetuity. For the past seven months, residents have suffered unbearable hardship and trauma,” the statement declared.

Kloma Hengme disclosed that it met with the Municipal Chief Executives of both Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo six weeks ago. Though they were promised that the new government would resume work on the road, no firm timeline was provided. The group then issued a four-week ultimatum, which expired on July 3, but no action was taken.

Invoking the Public Order Act, the group has formally informed the Ghana Police Service of its intention to hold the protest via a letter dated July 7, 2025.

The protest will begin at the Somanya Roundabout and end at the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly in Odumase-Krobo. Kloma Hengme is calling on traditional leaders, civil society organizations, youth groups, and the wider public to join in what it describes as a “clarion call to end years of infrastructural neglect” across Krobo communities.

The demonstration, the group says, aims to pressure the government to prioritize the long-neglected road project and restore the dignity and safety of Krobo residents who continue to endure life-threatening conditions due to governmental inaction.