GhanaWeb Feature by Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese

In October 2020, just before the election, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ceremoniously broke ground for the construction of phase one of the Tema-Aflao road.

This project was promoted as a vital part of the Trans-African Highway Project, aiming to connect Lagos to Abidjan. The current two-lane dual carriageway was planned to be expanded into a three-lane carriageway in each direction.

The 17km road, starting a kilometre east of the Tema Expressway Roundabout and passing through key towns like Dawhenya, was intended to end about three kilometres east at the Central University intersection.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, President Akufo-Addo stressed the importance of upgrading this corridor, not only for the Trans-West African Highway but also for its critical role in supporting a growing coastal residential, economic, and recreational population.

However, three years later, the project remains unfinished, and the promised infrastructure upgrade has become a source of frustration for commuters. The road's current condition has deteriorated to the point where it has become a significant problem, severely impacting the daily lives of those who depend on it.

The situation is especially concerning because of a fuel storage facility managed by the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) in the area.

The poor road conditions have raised concerns about the potential for a catastrophic event, such as an explosion, leading to a significant loss of life.

Furthermore, commuters face long hours of traffic, wasting valuable productive time that could have been significantly reduced if the road had been upgraded as promised.

However, the Ranking Member for Roads and Highways, Isaac Adhei, mentioned that it is one of many projects abandoned due to lack of funding.

"This road is one of the major road projects that have been abandoned due to lack of funding, the roads need to be fixed to reduce congestion,” he said in an interview with GhanaWeb.

The continued neglect of this crucial infrastructure project not only hinders economic growth but also poses a serious threat to public safety.

At the time of writing this report, attempts to contact the Ministry of Roads and Highways for comments were unsuccessful.

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