Commuters travelling from Nsawam and surrounding communities to Accra are grappling with severe traffic congestion, with many now spending more than four hours on a journey that should ordinarily take about an hour and a half.
The worsening situation has been linked to the poor condition of the Hebron-Doboro section of the Accra-Nsawam road, as well as the deteriorated stretch near the Achimota Old Station.
Due to the bad state of the road at Hebron, vehicles heading towards Nsawam, Kumasi and parts of Northern Ghana are often forced to abandon their designated lane and use portions of the inbound carriageway meant for traffic towards Accra, further compounding the congestion.
At the Achimota Old Station section, deep potholes slow down traffic significantly, as drivers struggle to manoeuvre through the stretch, leading to heavy gridlock.
The prolonged delays have left workers, traders, students and commercial drivers frustrated, as many struggle to reach their destinations on time.
A visit by The Ghanaian Times to the area revealed long queues of vehicles stretching several kilometres, with traffic crawling at a slow pace from Doboro through Medie.
Many commuters expressed concern about the impact of the situation on their daily lives and livelihoods.
Mr Michael Amponsah, a civil servant who commutes from Nsawam to Accra, described the situation as unbearable.
He said although he usually left home around 5:30 a.m. and arrived in Accra before 7:00 a.m., he had, over the past week, been spending more than three hours on the road and often arrived at work exhausted.
He noted that the delays were affecting productivity, as many workers reported late despite leaving home earlier than usual.
A trader, Madam Grace Owusu, said the congestion was causing financial losses to her business.
She explained that because her goods were perishable, spending long hours in traffic often resulted in spoilage before reaching the market.
Commercial drivers operating on the route also expressed frustration, noting that the poor road conditions and heavy congestion had increased fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance costs.
A driver, Mr Yao Agbovi, told The Ghanaian Times that the poor road surface posed a serious risk to motorists. He explained that in some sections, vehicles had to slow down almost completely to avoid damaging their tyres and suspension systems, which contributed significantly to the traffic build-up.
Residents and road users have appealed to the authorities to intervene urgently before the situation worsens.
They pointed out that the road serves as a major transport corridor linking Accra to the Eastern, Ashanti and Northern parts of the country, and therefore requires immediate attention.
Some residents also called for improved traffic management to regulate vehicle movement and prevent the indiscriminate use of opposing lanes.
Transport operators warned that if swift action was not taken, the congestion could worsen in the coming weeks, especially as traffic volumes continue to increase.
They have therefore urged the relevant agencies, including road authorities and traffic management officials, to carry out emergency repairs on the affected sections and deploy personnel to ease the flow of traffic.
FROM KINGSLEY ASARE, DOBORO
