Ing. Abdulai Mahama has expressed his concern over persistent malfunctioning traffic lights in the city. The engineer revealed that despite media campaigns, the issue remained unresolved, primarily due to the lack of funds to pay workers responsible for fixing them.
In an exclusive interview on the Happy Morning Show with Samuel Eshun, Ing. Mahama shed light on the dire situation, stating, “There seems to be no money available to pay those who work on the traffic lights before, and now they are damaged. There’s a backlog of arrears that are supposed to be paid to the local contractors assigned to these traffic lights.”
Reflecting on past promises, Ing. Mahama recalled President Kufuor’s commitment to automating all traffic lights by connecting them to the national grid and implementing solar power systems. While a few traffic lights were successfully upgraded and functioned properly, the majority remained neglected and in disrepair.
Ing. Mahama also indicated that his main concern lies in the lack of oversight around the traffic lights. He emphasized the need to address the activities observed in their vicinity, stating, “We need to be overly concerned about things we see around traffic lights. People stand under traffic lights to conduct their own businesses in broad daylight. They come and remove the cables of these traffic lights, and at night, they return to commit theft.”
Ing. Mahama’s remarks underscore the urgency to address the deteriorating state of the city’s traffic lights. Without prompt action, the flow of traffic and overall safety of motorists and pedestrians continue to be compromised. The unresolved issue of unpaid workers remains a significant obstacle that hampers the restoration of the traffic light system.