Accra-Kasoa Road Becomes 3-Hour Traffic Nightmare

Accra-Kasoa Road Becomes 3-Hour Traffic Nightmare

The rains have turned the Accra-Kasoa highway into a commuter's nightmare, stretching a 45-minute drive into 3 to 4 hours of stop-and-go frustration, missed meetings, and lost income.

Thousands of commuters, mostly residents and traders from Kasoa, spend hours queuing for trotros or taxis to brave the situation, often in vain. The traffic congestion is particularly severe at three choke points: Ataala, Mallam Junction, and the Tollbooth area near Kasoa Ridge. At Kasoa Ridge, even light rain washes silt and debris from the nearby hills straight onto the carriageway, causing water to pool and traffic to back up for kilometers.

Mallam Junction is worse, with massive potholes where asphalt has collapsed under years of pressure and poor drainage. When it rains, those potholes become lakes, causing drivers to swerve, brake suddenly, and gridlock spreads in both directions.

Every day the road deteriorates further, as water, traffic, and unfilled potholes accelerate decay. Residents and commuters are calling on the government to intervene with temporary measures, including grading and filling the worst potholes, clearing blocked drains, desilting Kasoa Ridge, and deploying traffic officers to manage the gridlock during peak hours.

The Accra-Kasoa corridor is one of Ghana's busiest economic arteries, moving workers, goods, students, and patients daily. When it fails, Accra feels it. When it floods, families lose income.

Sarah Aduyaw, a Kasoa resident and petty trader, said the road needs immediate government attention. "I have been on a temporary break due to the situation," she said. "The Kasoa Road should not be abandoned until the next budget cycle, not after another study."

Mr. Kofi Ampah, a self-employed individual, said the situation is affecting his pocket. "Every rain that falls without action is another day of lost productivity, another day of stress, and another reminder that infrastructure is not just concrete but a livelihood," he said.

The government has not yet commented on the issue, but commuters are calling for urgent action to restore basic mobility on the road.

### Image Query: Commuters stuck in traffic on the Accra-Kasoa highway