Pedestrians and traders at Kaneshie Market in Accra are urging the Department of Urban Roads to urgently install traffic lights near two closed footbridges, warning that the situation has become a serious safety hazard as people risk their lives crossing the busy highway, especially in the evening.
Although zebra crossings exist on both sides of the Busia dual carriageway, and metro guards assist during the day, pedestrians are left unprotected after 6 p.m. With no functional streetlights, visibility is poor, making it difficult for drivers to spot people crossing in time.
Residents said the immediate installation of traffic lights would significantly reduce the risk of accidents, particularly involving schoolchildren.
A visit by The Ghanaian Times at about 7 p.m. on Monday revealed pedestrians crossing unaided, exposed to speeding vehicles many of which ignored the designated zebra crossings put in place after the footbridges were shut.
There were also no warning signs at least 200 metres ahead to alert drivers of pedestrian crossings or to prompt them to slow down.
Mr Alex Opoku, a Toyota Voxy driver who plies the route, blamed both poor enforcement and unsafe pedestrian behaviour for the danger.
“There is a zebra crossing, but people don’t use it. They just rush across the road without checking for oncoming vehicles,” he mentioned.
“It puts both drivers and pedestrians at risk,” he said.
He noted that while traffic officers and personnel from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) were sometimes present during the day, the situation exacerbated in the evening when the road is left unmanaged.
“Every evening, there are no policemen or AMA officials to guide people. That is when accidents are more likely to happen,” he added.
“There are no traffic lights or even road signs to guide pedestrians,” he stressed, calling for swift intervention.
Traders share similar concerns. Mawusi Kumordzi, a trader recounted a near-fatal incident.
“There are no streetlights here, so crossing in the evening is very dangerous. One night after work, I tried to cross and didn’t see a car coming. I almost got hit.”
She said she survived only because the driver noticed her in time.
“I was lucky the driver stopped immediately. Otherwise, it would have been a different story,” she added.
She emphasised that poor lighting not only increases accident risks but also heightens fear among pedestrians after dark.
Another driver, Kofi Ntow, called on authorities to expedite repairs on the footbridge.
“The footbridge must be fixed as soon as possible. It was safer for everyone,” he indicated.
BY PERPETUAL MENSAH
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