The Kasoa-Mallam Road on Monday night witnessed one of the heaviest traffic congestions in recent times, following a downpour that hit Accra and its environs and subsequent flooding of the road around SCC and Old Barrier.
Vehicles from Kasoa to Mallam had no option than to move in the opposite lane resulting in the gridlock that extended from Atico to the Old Barrier. As of midnight, commuters and vehicle owners were still stranded. Some commuters spent around 9 hours in the congestion.
According to Dr Daniel Sowah, the Ga South Municipal Roads Engineer, a contractor is currently doing maintenance works on the Old Winneba road, as an alternative to the SCC-Weija-Old barrier. This is to help divert traffic onto that road, during periods the SCC-Weija-Old barrier section gets flooded.
But much as The Chronicle is happy with the purported maintenance works being done on the Old Winneba road, it does not mean a lasting solution should not be found to the current state of the Accra-Kasoa road, which connects Greater Accra to the Central Region and beyond.
This major route, which apart from Central and Western Regions, also leads to Ivory Coast, has certainly become a nightmare for commuters and motorists during the rainy seasons. In our opinion, one of the major causes for this problem is the destruction of the vegetation cover on the chain of hills in the area.
We are again happy that the Municipal Roads Engineer, Dr. Daniel Sowah, has admitted to this fact, but the big question is: where was his outfit when developers were destroying the vegetation cover? In our view, the Weija Assembly should be blamed for the difficulties commuters are going through, because they gave permit to the developers to destroy the land.
If construction of storm drains, as Dr Sowa alluded to, is what will solve the problem, the central government must come in as quickly as possible with funds to handle the situation. The construction of the storm drains will definitely be beyond the capacity of the Weija Assembly.
The impact of the perennial traffic congestion goes beyond inconvenience – it affects productivity, economic activities and the well-being of commuters. Since a substantial number of the working-class people reside in the enclave, any delay in traffic will lead to late arrival at home and this will impact on quality of life.
Ensuring a smooth flow of traffic and addressing the flooding issue is not just about convenience; it’s about safeguarding livelihoods and promoting economic activities in Accra and Kasoa.
