Awoshie-Mangoase: Residents give govt one-week ultimatum to fix traffic lights

Residents at Awoshie-Mangoase in the Ablekuma North Constituency say they are giving government a one-week ultimatum to fix faulty traffic lights in the area.

This follows a massive protest by residents in the area on August 4, 2020, after a 27-year-old was knocked down to death by a vehicle as a result of the faulty traffic lights.

According to the residents, about three other persons within the last few weeks have also lost their lives as a result of the faulty traffic lights.

News of the incident, that was reported by the GhanaWeb.com indicated widespread agitations and outrage from the residents which resulted in the deployment of the military and police personnel. There was, among other things the firing of warning shots to disperse angry residents.

GhanaWeb followed up to monitor developments in the area on August 5, 2020, and residents who would stop at nothing till they have viable feedback, say they are serving government and other authorities with a one week ultimatum to fix the faulty lights, else they will embark on further protests.

A resident speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb said; “Due to the accident, we blocked this road yesterday because vehicles are always knocking down pedestrians as a result of the faulty traffic lights. Its been over four years and still nothing has been done about the traffic lights”

“We have given the authorities one week to come and repair the traffic lights, otherwise, it will not be easy, perhaps we’re going to protest more than we did the other day,” they cautioned.

Another resident told the news team, after the construction of the road a few years back, the traffic lights have barely functioned despite efforts to draw the attention of authorities.

“We went to the Municipal Chief Executive’s office to register our complaints due to a few accidents that have occurred. The MCE told us, the contract that was given to the construction company had run out and that talks were ongoing for a renewal for works to continue and since then nothing has been done about the faulty lights,” he said.

The news team further visited the office of the MCE in the Ablekuma North Constituency where the Executive Secretary, Opoku Boakye told GhanaWeb, that several letters had been written to the Department of Urban Roads to address the issue, and have yet to receive a response.

“Before the assumption of the MCE into office, he [Hon. Kofi Ofori] has written series of letters to the Department of Urban Roads concerning this issue of the faulty lights and up until now, there hasn’t been any response.”

Mr Opoku Boakye however expressed his condolence on behalf of the MCE to the bereaved family adding, they will do the needful to support the family in this difficult time.