The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development unveiled ambitious road safety improvement measures at six pivotal intersections within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA).
This announcement, made during the Urban Mobility Forum in Accra, marks a significant milestone in the culmination of the Ghana Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (GUMAP), aimed at alleviating traffic congestion, reducing air pollution and enhancing infrastructure in Ghana’s bustling capital.
The six pivotal intersections the Minister unveiled include; Baba Yara Padmore Street Intersection (Tema), Otublohum Obibini Street Intersection (Accra), Ashongman Alafia Intersection (Ga East), Three Junction (Ga West), Mambo Junction (Ga Central) and Ogbojo New Market Junction (La Nkwantanang-Madina).
These intersection improvement measures, the Minister said is aimed at testing the applicability of some findings from the studies conducted as well as improving road safety for all road users.
The forum, themed “Prioritising Sustainable Urban Mobility and Accessibility in GAMA,” served as a platform to reflect on the successes of the GUMAP initiative and chart a course for future urban development strategies.
Mr Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, Minister for Local Government, delivered a keynote address to a diverse assembly of stakeholders including government officials, development partners, academia, and the private sector.
The Impact of Sustainable Urban Mobility
Addressing the audience, Mr Adjei-Mensah highlighted the profound impact of rapid urbanization on transportation infrastructure and services in GAMA.
“Our daily lives are increasingly defined by traffic congestion, environmental degradation, and inefficiencies in public transport,” he lamented, stressing the urgent need for coordinated efforts to mitigate these challenges.
He underscored that while the Ministry has spearheaded policy formulation and strategic planning and sustainable solutions require collaborative partnerships across sectors.
“The GUMAP has been instrumental in reshaping urban mobility strategies in Ghana,” noted Minister Adjei-Mensah Korsah.
Supported by a $6 million USD grant from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the project has transcended traditional infrastructural approaches to incorporate capacity-building and institutional strengthening across six Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies in GAMA.
Achievements of GUMAP
Reflecting on the project’s achievements, the Minister detailed a comprehensive array of studies and surveys that have underpinned policy formulation and infrastructure development.
These included household travel surveys, public transport mapping, and traffic management studies aimed at optimising multimodal accessibility.
He underscored the integration of road safety initiatives into District Medium-Term Development Plans (DMTDPs) as a pivotal achievement, emphasising the Ministry’s commitment to embedding urban mobility planning at the local governance level.
“The GUMAP has not only provided data-driven insights but also laid the groundwork for sustainable urban development,” remarked the Minister.
Despite the great achievements over the past 8 years, the Project, in the Minister’s view, has certainly not fixed all the urban mobility and accessibility challenges of GAMA, but the outputs (i.e. the Surveys and Studies) provide an important baseline for targeted investments.
He added that it also monitors mobility and accessibility performance, replicating similar interventions, carrying out further studies and designing the best possible projects to comprehensively address the most fundamental urban mobility challenges in GAMA.
“The data gathered during the project implementation period will form the basis for the establishment of an urban observatory for continuous data to guide urban mobility decision-making in GAMA” he said.
The Minister indicated that it is also envisaged that the Heads of Transport Departments of the beneficiary MMAs have built their capacity and their skills and knowledge upscaled to enable them to deliver their duties effectively and efficiently.
Collaborative Initiatives and Future Prospects
Looking towards the future, the Minister expressed optimism about replicating the successes of GUMAP in other metropolitan areas, including the upcoming Kumasi Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (KUMAP).
He reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11, focused on affordable and sustainable transport systems, through continued collaboration with SECO and other stakeholders.
“The Ministry envisions an integrated approach to urban governance,” declared Minister Adjei-Mensah Korsah, emphasizing principles of inclusivity, digitalisation and strategic partnerships.
He called upon stakeholders to actively contribute to transformative actions that prioritie urban mobility and accessibility across Ghana.
