Accra Roads in Darkness: Commuters Decry Rising Insecurity
Night-time commuting in the Greater Accra Region has become increasingly dangerous, as the failure of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to fix or provide streetlights leaves major highways and inner roads in complete darkness.
The worrying trend has sparked concerns among motorists, passengers, and pedestrians, who say the situation not only exposes them to criminal attacks but also heightens the risk of road crashes.
Despite earlier assurances by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Madam Linda Ocloo, during her vetting in Parliament that she would prioritize the installation and maintenance of streetlights, most parts of the city remain poorly lit.
Some of the worst-affected areas, observed by The Herald, include the Achimota Overhead, Achimota School stretch, Achimota Police Station, John Kufuor Avenue, George Walker Bush Highway, Tema Motorway, Agyiriganor, Ashaley Botwe, and several adjoining communities.
For many drivers, the experience has become unbearable. “We are forced to drive blindly on these dark roads. Potholes are almost invisible, and with pedestrians wearing clothes that don’t reflect light, one wrong move could cause a fatal accident,” a concerned motorist lamented.
Another driver, Mr. Ebo Francis, called the N1 Highway a “death trap” after dark, insisting that government must treat the matter as an emergency.
Alhaji Abbas Ibrahim Imoro, Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), also weighed in, stressing that poor visibility was compromising transport safety. He singled out the Korle Bu–Korle Gonno and Abossey Okai roads as areas where non-functioning streetlights have made night driving extremely risky.
“A well-lit street saves lives. We can’t keep losing lives and property when the solution is simply fixing the lights,” he said.
Repeated attempts by The Herald to get official comment from the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC) proved futile. Calls and messages sent to its Public Relations Officer went unanswered as of press time.
