Demolition crews continue to move into full force along the Takoradi–Cape Coast Highway corridor, pulling down structures and clearing sites to make way for the much-anticipated dualisation project under President John Dramani Mahama’s “Big Push” infrastructure initiative.
From Pipe Ano through Tanokrom and Effiakuma to Shama, structures like kiosks that once stood close to the main road have been pushed aside, in what officials describe as a decisive step toward easing traffic congestion and improving road safety, along one of Western Region’s busiest transport routes.
A tour of the stretch by journalists revealed extensive clearing activity, with heavy-duty equipment deployed at multiple points.
Concrete structures, wooden kiosks, metal containers and boundary walls that previously encroached on the road reservation have either been marked for demolition or completely removed.
In several areas, the expanded corridor is already visible, signaling the scale of the planned dual carriageway.
The contractor on site appeared determined to meet project timelines, with engineers and workers coordinating the systematic removal of obstructions.
Earth-moving machines could be seen levelling portions of the cleared land, while debris from demolished buildings was being carted away.
Officials of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) and the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) had earlier undertaken sensitisation exercises to notify property owners affected by the expansion.
The assemblies engaged residents and business operators along the corridor, urging them to relocate voluntarily to avoid last-minute confrontations.
Residents who spoke to the media acknowledged the prior notices, but expressed mixed feelings about the demolitions.
While some business owners lamented the loss of structures and temporary disruption to their livelihoods, others welcomed the development, describing it as a necessary sacrifice for long-term progress.
“This road has become too narrow for the volume of traffic we experience every day,” a commuter at Effiakuma said adding, if this expansion will reduce the traffic and accidents, then it is worth it.”
The Takoradi–Cape Coast Highway serves as a major economic artery, linking the Western Region to the Central Region and facilitating trade, tourism and industrial activity.
Over the years, rapid urban growth along the corridor has led to heavy congestion, frequent accidents and delays, especially during peak hours.
City authorities say the dualisation forms part of a broader national infrastructure agenda aimed at modernising critical road networks and boosting economic activity.
Under the ‘Big Push’ programme, government has pledged accelerated investment in roads, bridges and other public infrastructure to stimulate growth and create jobs.
The ongoing clearing exercise marks a significant milestone in the implementation phase of the project.
With the right-of-way gradually being secured, attention is expected to shift to major construction works, including drainage expansion, lane development and pedestrian safety installations.
For now, the sound of bulldozers and falling concrete has become a familiar echo along the corridor, a visible reminder that the long-talked-about road expansion is no longer a promise on paper but a project taking shape on the ground.
As the dust settles on the cleared sites, residents and commuters alike are watching closely, hopeful that the disruption of today will soon give way to smoother journeys and a transformed highway befitting the region’s growing economic stature.
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