With the return of the first rains, the Man-Séguéla road has become a real obstacle course. Users and residents of the sub-prefecture of Koua (Facobly department) are raising the alarm about the imminent risk of several localities being isolated.

An impassable road and endless journeys

On the fifty or so kilometers separating Man from Semian, getting around has become a feat. The road, riddled with potholes, subsidence and muddy patches, forces motorists to drive at a crawl to avoid repeated breakdowns.

For transport workers, the situation is untenable. Bamba Mamadou, a driver on the route for over ten years, testifies to this grueling daily reality:

"The road is completely destroyed, and it's even worse when it rains. Now I'm reduced to making only one trip a day. Residents and haulers alike, we're all exhausted. No machinery has been used to maintain the road for years."

Insecurity and isolation of civil servants

Beyond the logistical challenge, the state of the road poses a serious safety problem. Taking advantage of the fact that vehicles have to slow down due to potholes, highway robbers have operated in strategic areas in the past.

1. The scourge of insecurity: Kouamé Kouassi Robert, a civil servant in the region, recalls that a section located near a teak plantation has long been the scene of robberies.
2. The administrative paradox: "On the map, the Man-Séguéla road is supposed to be paved, but the reality on the ground is quite different," laments Mr. Kouamé. He also emphasizes the ordeal faced by civil servants: to collect their salaries at the end of the month or simply to visit their families, travel can take up to two days, a journey now undertaken "in fear."

The local economy is suffocating

The economic impact is disastrous for the riverside villages, particularly for the agricultural sector, the driving force of the region.

1. Harvests blocked: In Klangbolably, the village chief, Gagny Blaise, is worried about the future of the producers: "Our products are rotting on the spot because vehicles can no longer access our fields to transport the harvests."
2. A call for paving: Further on, in Falansobly, Chief Séhio Sylvain insists on the urgency of developing the axis linking Douimbly to Koua and Sémian, demanding a definitive paving to open up the area and revive trade.

The urgent appeal to the authorities

With weather services forecasting heavy rainfall, concern is growing in Facobly. Local residents are now awaiting a swift and concrete response from national authorities to rehabilitate this vital road, ensure the safety of road users, and prevent an entire region from becoming completely cut off from the rest of the country.