Ghana’s Poor Economy Is As A Result Of Traffic Congestion - Drivers Pinpoints

Drivers and passengers in the Ashanti Region, Kwabre East District have identified traffic congestion as the reason to Ghana’s poor economical state.

The subject of traffic congestion is much of a concern in most parts of Ghana especially on the Tafo Mampong Road; Kumasi for years now. This is a condition on transport networks that occurs as use increases, characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times and increased vehicular queuing. The busy nature of the two-drive way from the Suame Roundabout to Meduma jam cars for hours before travelers can get to their destinations; something too disturbing to employees. 

The road, which leads to productive towns like Mampong; one of the highest producers of vegetables, Ejura and Atebubu; manufacturers of Yam in the country records a higher number of cars plying to the capital of the Ashanti Region to market their products. Employees have to rise very early at dawn to overcome the congestion to meet their customers early in the morning for bulk purchase. Farmers who do not meet the timeline of “go slow” at half past six in the morning go through the two-hour traffic challenge before arriving late at the Central and Race Course Market for trade.

Workers from Nkwanta, Ntonso, Aboaso, Mamponteng and Faade who ply the road in the morning to their various work places go through hectic times in “trotro” and taxis. Drivers shared their sentiments on what they have been going through for years describing the jamming as a risk contributing to lesser work output. “Traffic congestion does not only affect us (drivers) but the government as a whole. Imagine if a passenger spends two hours in traffic on his way to work, the wasted hours could have been utilized meaningful through his work output which will be a true reflection of the wage he receives. When it happens like this, the government loses” Nana Owusu said.  The chairman and Vice at the Kodua station also expressed dissatisfaction on linking roads that have been left unattended. They defined their words as a form of plea to the government to come to their aid. “if the roads at the various junctions connecting to other suburbs are attended to, other vehicles would not waste their time joining the highways to obstruct commercial vehicles. We are pleading to the administrators of the country to come to our aid” they beseeched.

 Observations made by Soiree News as to the main cause of these traffic congestion is the allocation of lorry parks at junctions of the highways. The space needed for cars to load to different suburbs within same mile radius is huge hence the lack of space provision. According to station masters the lack of lorry parks gives them no option than to convert junctions into stations. “Stations established at certain junctions of the highway is the cause of these traffics. Drivers like to load by the road side which gradually slows down movement of vehicles to create road congestion in the morning and evening” Sister Monica revealed.

The Atimatim Junction’s congestion is upsetting likewise Kodua and Meduma stations. Disappointment is always growing on the faces of people new to this situation but to them that have established a life for a couple of years in this environment, they seem to have a way of managing it. Linking roads like the Faade Kenyase road, Atimatim Maase road, Moshie-Zongo to Airport Roundabout and many others that could have provided solutions to reducing the heavy traffic on the Tafo Mampong is in devastating state which averts driver’s interest in plying on them. “Some people see traffic as a benefit to us (water sellers) but that is not the case. Whenever there is traffic, though people buy things from us but there is more danger because some cars and troskis normally take the passenger side of the road where we sell, therefore the rate of knocking us down is high due to our busy nature when selling” Doris uttered.

As Soiree News team got to the Bonsuom junction, a heavy truck had broken down for days on the road connecting from the Tafo Bonsuo to the Kronom-Offinso road. Drivers expressed unhappiness on the problem and recalled the promises of the government in situations like this. “they assured to provide us a breakdown car to pull cars that occupy roads for days due to faults. We are seeing nothing as promised. This makes our work tedious. We are sometimes unable to make the required sales to our car owners. Please tell the government to come to our aid” Lasiette publicized.

With the years ahead of us, the rate at which road congestion increase will be worse due to more import of cars on these roads as a reduction of import tariffs has been initiated by the government. Therefore, drivers and citizens plead to the government to take preventive actions to make movement swift.