Motorway Roadworks Turn Daily Commute
into Death Trap
What should have been a routine drive on the Accra–Tema Motorway has become a frightening gamble with life.
On Friday, January 9 afternoon, between 3:00pm and 6:00pm — before darkness had fully set in — the Managing Editor of The Catholic Standard experienced first-hand the dangers lurking on the 19-kilometre stretch currently under construction. The journey to Tema and back was marked by confusion, anxiety and real risk.
With road works ongoing, the motorway has been stripped of basic safety features. There are no visible road markings, no reflectors, no functional streetlights and no clear directional signs. Lanes suddenly disappear without warning, forcing drivers to guess their way through traffic at speed. Visibility is poor, and the absence of guidance leaves motorists, cyclists and pedestrians exposed.
This is not a minor inconvenience. It is a clear and present danger.
If the situation is this alarming in fading daylight, the risks after nightfall — or during rain — are unthinkable. The Accra–Tema Motorway is one of Ghana’s busiest and most strategic road corridors. Leaving it in this condition is an open invitation to tragedy.
A similar experience on the Accra–Cape Coast road suggests the problem is not isolated. It is likely being repeated on several major roads across the country.
Road construction must never come at the cost of human lives. Authorities and contractors have a duty to ensure that safety measures accompany every phase of road works.
A word to the wise is enough.
This danger must be addressed — urgently — before disaster strikes.
