The Kejebril-Benso Road, crucial for transporting semi-finished goods from Benso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP) to clients in Tema, is in a state of disrepair, causing significant challenges for the company and the local community. The road, filled with gullies and uncompleted drains, is hindering transportation and impacting the local economy.
Cars, especially trucks transporting BOPP products to Tema, frequently get stuck due to the road conditions. Kwesi Baah Ofori, BOPP's Estate and Plantation Manager, revealed that the poor state of the road has forced the company to halt the transportation of its products to the refinery in Tema, and if the situation persists, production might be shut down.
Ofori emphasized the dire consequences on the company's operations, affecting over 2,000 employees and more than 1,000 farmers who supply the mill. He urged the government to intervene and expedite the construction of the road to alleviate the impact on both BOPP and the local community.
Residents in the area also suffer from the road's conditions, with frequent breakdowns affecting their finances. A local driver, Alfred, highlighted the economic burden and pleaded with the government to address the road's challenges.
The poor road conditions are not only disrupting BOPP's operations but also impacting its contributions to the local economy. Ofori stressed the importance of government intervention to support the growth of the local economy in the district.
“We know that the government is challenged with a lot of road networks that it has to do, and it is doing its best, but we think that looking at the economic potential of this company in this district, it would be good if they come in to help,” Ofori stated.