Accra-Tema Motorway reconstruction: Urgency and accountability questioned amid slow progress

The Accra-Tema Motorway, a vital artery connecting Ghana's capital with its main industrial and port city, has become a source of frustration and danger for thousands of users. Commuters and businesses relying on this crucial corridor are experiencing exhausting and increasingly perilous journeys, raising legitimate questions about the project's pace, management, and accountability.

Observations along the motorway reveal inconsistent work patterns, with long stretches showing minimal activity and visible machinery. Piles of construction materials often remain by the roadside for extended periods, with little apparent progress. While work sometimes appears intensive, it frequently slows down, failing to convey the consistency and urgency expected for such a significant national road.

Safety concerns are paramount, particularly regarding traffic management around the construction zones. Inadequate warning and directional signs, coupled with poor nighttime visibility of existing signs, contribute to confusion. Drivers unfamiliar with the constantly changing diversions are at risk of entering wrong lanes. The presence of construction materials and poorly marked diversions further exacerbates dangers, especially during adverse weather conditions like rain.

Adding to the hazards are unauthorized openings and U-turns being created along the motorway, undermining its status as a national corridor. The contractor, Ghana Highway Authority, National Road Safety Authority, and Ghana Police Service are urged to collaborate on controlling access, improving signage, and enforcing traffic regulations. Basic safety measures like reflective signs, clear lane markings, warning lights, barriers, and properly supervised diversions are essential for protecting lives.

While utility relocation was identified as a challenge affecting construction during a ministerial inspection in March 2026, this explanation cannot serve as an indefinite excuse. The public requires transparency regarding the actions taken post-inspection, the institutions tasked with utility relocation, the deadlines set and met, and the overall project completion percentage. Assurances alone are insufficient; concrete information and demonstrable progress are needed.