By Eugene Davis
Communities along the Jinijini–Drobo and Jinijini–Sampa routes in the Berekum West District—one of Ghana’s most productive agricultural hubs—are living under constant fear as rampant armed robbery continues to plague the area, a situation made worse by the poor and deplorable state of the road network.
The stretch, which forms part of the larger 119-kilometre Jinijini–Sampa highway project, connects major cashew-growing towns in the Bono Region to the Ivorian border. It is a lifeline for farmers, traders, and transporters. Yet today, it has become a hotspot for violent attacks simply because the deteriorated road gives criminals easy advantage.
The Bono Region produces about 70% of Ghana’s cashew, with Berekum West ranking among the top five tomato-producing districts in the country. But despite its significant contribution to national food security, farmers and traders are struggling to move goods—cashew, tomatoes, yam, plantain, bananas and other staples—to major markets. The fear of being attacked has become so pervasive that many are abandoning the route entirely.
Presenting a statement in Parliament, the Member of Parliament for Berekum West, Dickson Kyere-Duah, warned that the problem has evolved beyond a local inconvenience into a national economic and security threat.
“This is not only a Bono problem—it is Ghana’s problem,” he stressed. “Sixty to seventy percent of the country’s cashew comes from that enclave. If traders and farmers cannot move food to urban centres due to security risks, the implications for national food security are dire. It is a sensitive national issue that must bring all stakeholders together.”
After delivering his statement, Mr. Kyere-Duah explained to journalists that although the broader Jinijini–Sampa road falls under the government’s Big Push infrastructure initiative, the Jinijini–Drobo stretch has deteriorated so severely that armed robbers now easily ambush commuters, drivers, and traders.
He described the situation as “an everyday nightmare” for residents, adding that the lack of security presence only emboldens criminals.
“To be frank, the police presence along the stretch is inadequate—both in personnel and in logistics. Patrol pickups are either unavailable or insufficient, leaving large portions of the road unmonitored,” he said.
He reiterated that fixing the road and boosting security patrols are urgently needed to restore confidence and protect lives.
“As it stands, this situation is crippling trade and commerce. Even teachers, nurses, and other essential workers are unwilling to accept postings in these communities because they fear for their safety,” he lamented. “People are living in fear every single day.”
The MP has therefore made a passionate appeal to Parliament, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Ministry of Interior, and all relevant agencies to treat the matter with renewed urgency—both as a security issue and as a critical economic priority.
Dickson Kyere-Duah – Berekum West MP
