Accra-Ghana, June 14, GNA – Some motorists and commuters have expressed frustration over the poor conditions on the Nungua barrier stretch of the Accra-Tema Beach Road.
The motorists, some of whom described the road as a death trap, say it gets more difficult to drive on that portion of the road on a rainy day.
Following the stalled construction of a three-tier interchange at the Nungua Barrier as part of the Beach Road Expansion Project, some portions of the roads have caved in and become difficult to drive on due to the huge number of heavy duty vehicles that ply the road, mainly from the Tema Harbour.
A visit to the place revealed the struggles of motorists as they put up their best skills in outwitting each other to navigate their way along the stretch.
The uneven nature of the road, coupled with the constant flooding around the interchange has left some motorists with no option than to find an alternative route.
Mr Alex Appiah, a private car owner, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said driving on that stretch of that road had not only become dangerous but expensive.
He contends that he had to change his shock absorbers and other car parts twice in a space of three months.
Another driver, Mr Sena Gemadzi noted that he had to find alternative routes everytime it rained.
He said, “driving on that stretch, especially the portion that brings you from Addogonno towards the mall is not amusing at all.”
“It takes guts and experience to navigate your way through that side alone,” he added.
A commercial bus driver, Albert Adjetey on his part could not understand why the road had been left in that state.
He said “if you are not dealing with the dust when it is not raining, then you are forced to deal with the mud when it rains.”
“The other day, an articulated truck got stuck here, and the inconveniences that came with it are better not said,” he said.
The drivers who are appealing for an urgent facelift of the road say, they are spending much more time and resources on the road.
When the Ghana News Agency visited the place a couple of days ago, it found an articulated truck that had broken down along the stretch and stuck in the mud.
However, Mr Kweku Diafo, the Resident Engineer on the project, said the challenges associated with that portion of the road will soon be dealt with as measures are underway to remedy the situation.
He revealed that an agreement had been reached with the contractor handling phase two of the project to level the road around the interchange and deal with any other difficulty being experienced by motorists along the stretch.
Mr Diafo, who was tight-lipped about whether or not the contractor had abandoned the project site, which was obvious, could also not tell when construction works on the project would resume.
He, however, gave assurance that the project would be completed because there is a contractual agreement between the Government and the contractor.
