The traffic lights on the Mendskrom section of the Accra-Kasoa Road have been faulty and left unrepaired for about four months now, and it is not the first time this is happening. How long should residents endure the dangers of broken-down traffic lights on a busy road such as this?
This is unfortunate especially because the Mendskrom road sees many commuters and pedestrians on a daily basis; however, with broken-down traffic lights, the otherwise easy activity of road-crossing becomes difficult and dangerous.
Take for instance the latter part of last year. The traffic lights had stopped working and were left unrepaired, as usual. The effect? My workplace lost a gardener, Alhassan. In his attempt to cross the road, a speeding car knocked him down, resulting in his death.
About two months ago, another lady (name withheld) had to be rushed to the hospital because, like Alhassan, she had been knocked down by a speeding vehicle. Because of the traffic light situation, what this lady did daily until the accident was to help school children cross the road. On that fateful day, she got hit by a car while trying to cross the road after helping the school children cross.
Sadly, it appears the traffic light situation at this location is not a priority to the authorities – authorities of the Mendskrom area, especially. The reverse should be the case, however. Here is why.
The road is bordered by two academic facilities – Jayee University College and Regent University College of Science and Technology. To top it off, many children in the area need to first cross the road to get to their schools.
The GNA reported in 2011 that Mendskrom has become a death trap for pedestrians. Sadly, 10 years on, there have been no significant improvements to the problem.
In fact, the then SRC President of the Jayee University College, Ms Louisa Atta Agyeman in 2011 also appealed to the government and stakeholders in the transport industry to take measures to minimise road accidents in Mendskrom, and it is sad to see how not much has changed so many years later.
Beatrice, a concerned resident of the Mendskrom area says because of the traffic light situation, she is always afraid to cross the road because a speeding car from “nowhere” may just knock her down.
“As for that road, unless you are lucky and the Weija traffic light turns red, then you can cross,” she said. “Otherwise, the cars will keep coming and if you are not careful, one will just knock you down.”
