Pedestrians and residents around the Kaneshie area are at grave risk of being knocked down or run over by vehicles, especially in the evenings, following the closure of the Kaneshie footbridge earlier this month.
Concerns are also growing over the delay by the Ablekuma South Municipal Assembly in announcing when repair works will begin and when they are expected to be completed.
Following the closure of the footbridge on April 2, 2025, the Assembly created an alternative crossing point by breaking a section of the concrete median on the Busia Highway to allow pedestrians to cross the dual carriageway.
During the day, particularly from 6 a.m. to about 6 p.m., metro guards are stationed on both sides of the crossing point to stop vehicular traffic and allow pedestrians to pass safely.
However, when The Ghanaian Times visited the site on Friday around 6 p.m., the officers had left the post, leaving pedestrians to cross the busy road unaided and exposing them to serious danger from speeding vehicles, many of which fail to observe the zebra crossing provided after the footbridge was closed.
What makes the situation more worrying is the absence of functioning street lights in the area, which leaves the crossing point poorly lit and difficult for both drivers and pedestrians to navigate safely at night.
Traders who previously relied on the footbridge for brisk business have also expressed concern, saying the indefinite closure has affected their livelihoods as pedestrian flow in the area has declined.
The Assembly closed access to the footbridge after sections of its metal railings, used as banisters, were found to be severely corroded and gradually detaching from the structure, raising serious safety concerns.
At the Kaneshie market, traders said while the intervention might have been necessary, it had come at a significant cost to their businesses.
A trader, Mr Frank Owusu, said the closure had led to a noticeable drop in customer traffic.
“When the bridge was active, people bought our stuff more, but now that it has been blocked, it has affected our market,” he said.
He further criticised the Assembly for what he described as a lack of clear communication on when repair works would begin.
“They told us they would fix it, but they didn’t give us any specific day or time,” he added.
Another trader, Serwaa Bonsu, noted that pedestrians have now resorted to crossing the busy highway, with occasional assistance from police officers and Assembly personnel.
She expressed concern over the delay in repair works, saying: “Since the bridge has been blocked, authorities should have started working, but they haven’t done that,” she said.
She further questioned the decision to close the bridge without swift repairs, arguing that the absence of the facility had created new risks for pedestrians crossing the dual carriageway.
According to her, the situation becomes even more dangerous at night when security personnel are absent.
“The road becomes risky at night because the police and AMA officials are not around to guide people, and accidents can happen,” she explained.
She also highlighted the poor lighting conditions in the area.
“The street lights here are not working, and that makes the place very dark,” she said.
Residents and traders are therefore calling on the Assembly to expedite repair works on the footbridge to restore safe passage for pedestrians and revive commercial activity in the area.
BY PERPETUAL MENSAH
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