Volta River Real Estates Limited Reshapes 5km of Akuse Roads

Volta River Real Estates Limited Reshapes 5km of Akuse Roads: The residents of Akuse, a town in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region, have been suffering from the poor condition of their roads for a long time. The roads are full of potholes, dust, and mud, making them difficult and dangerous to use.

The area is also home to several factories and companies, but the people accuse them of doing nothing to address the problem.

However, one company has decided to take action and contribute to the improvement of the road network in the area.

Volta River Real Estates Limited (VREL), a fair trade banana plantation, has reshaped 5km of the main Akuse-Asutuare road as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The company has used its own equipment and resources to level and smoothen the road surface, making it more accessible and comfortable for drivers and other road users.

The company’s decision to reshape the road was motivated by the regular concerns raised by the people, according to Mr. Anthony Blay, the general manager of VREL.

He said that the company tried to get other stakeholders, including other factories and companies operating in the area, on board, but failed to do so. He expressed his hope that the reshaping, though not a permanent solution, would help to alleviate the challenge in the interim.

Mr. Blay also suggested a possible way to raise revenue to fix the problem permanently.

He proposed that sand-winning trucks that ply the enclave pay a token to either the local assembly or traditional authorities to enable them to reshape the road regularly.

He estimated that this could generate up to GHC 30,000 every month, which could be used to maintain the road at least once in two months.

The planting manager for VREL, Mr. Ebenezer Dotse Narobi, also explained that the move was intended to make some of the worst affected portions of the roads accessible for commuters, including its vehicles.

He said that VREL has trucks that carry its bananas through the township every week and buses that bring its workers there. He attributed the rapid deterioration of the roads to the operations of some sand-winning companies in the area.

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Mr. Narobi recalled how the demonstrators, who protested against the state of the roads in July this year, directed their grievances over the state of the roads to the private companies instead of the appropriate authorities.

He said that this prompted VREL to undertake the project. He added that the action has endeared the company to the hearts of the people.

He said that VREL would continue to undertake its corporate social responsibilities as and when the need arises for the benefit of the people.

VREL is a fair trade banana plantation located in Ghana, West Africa. It was founded in 1988 and became the world’s first fair trade certified hired labour producer in 1996.

It exports over 10,000 tons of fair trade bananas yearly and employs 700 people. It also invests in various projects in education, health, and sustainability for its workers and communities.

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