President’s accident starts argument on link-roads to motorway

Sunday's fatal accident on a motorway (the Accra-Tema Motorway) involving the president's motorcade has once again raised two important issues - development of residential estates along the stretch and reckless driving.

Four bodyguards of President Jerry Rawlings died when a minibus crossed onto the high-speed motorway via an illegal entry point and caused the bloody accident. Both President Rawlings, who was driving a red Jaguar car, and his wife, Nana Konadu, who sat beside him, escaped unhurt. Their car was damaged at the left rear but the minibus, which was said to be carrying passengers, escaped. The guards who were killed were in two vehicles. Several illegal entry points have sprung up on the motorway as occupants of residential estates along the road try to reach or leave their homes.

The Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Police Service and the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) gave up efforts to check the use of these routes as they were legalised with the collection of tolls.

In separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Monday, the Department of Urban Roads and the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU) made different suggestions to solve the problem. A senior official of the Department of Urban Roads said improving the nature of selected link roads to the motorway to properly co-ordinate the entry and exit points of vehicles would prevent accidents. However, the GPRTU urged GHA to erect pillars along the motorway as an interim measure to stop private and commercial drivers from entering the motorway.

Mr Godwin Brocke, Director of the Department of Urban Roads (DUR), noted that development of settlements along the motorway without regard to well-designed access roads had led to the use of unauthorised routes.

This, he said, has defeated the original purpose of the motorway. "The DUR and the Ghana Highway Authority see the interruption in the flow of traffic on the motorway as a serious problem and we are finding a means to improve some of these link roads and make the entry and exit of vehicles safe," Brocke said.

"It is not possible to fence the motorway because of the settlements and activities that have developed along it. Some of these estates have well thought out internal road network, but their planners did not think about how they would link the motorway." Brocke said the DUR has plans to improve some of the parallel roads to the motorway so that more motorists can use them as alternatives. "We have awarded a contract for clearing a service road from East Legon to Ashaiman," he said. "By next year, that road would be gravelled and ready for use."

However, some road engineers believe that more motorists must be encouraged to use the motorway because it is under-utilised. Although it has a daily capacity of about 56,000 vehicles, it reportedly attracts less than 10,000 vehicles.

Brocke expressed concern about the fast rate of development of estates along the motorway, which makes it difficult for road agencies to co-ordinate their activities with planners and provide the necessary infrastructure. "The pace at which these developments move makes it impossible for the necessary utilities to be provided," he said, adding: "we do not have the money to catch up with them".

He also expressed concern about undisciplined motorists and lack of enforcement of regulations and prosecution of offenders and appealed to drivers to respect road regulations and signs. The GPRTU said in the long term, the GHA must identify an appropriate institution to come out with a permanent solution to help check rampant accidents due to unlawful entries.

Meanwhile, the driver who caused the accident fled and, on Monday, Tema police arrested more than 20 drivers of white mini-buses as they carry out a manhunt for the suspect. One more bodyguard died on Monday bringing the total number of the dead to five. The condition of the two other injured victims, a civilian and a soldier, was described as fairly satisfactory and stable.

Briefing journalists, Brigadier Daniel Twum, Commanding Officer of the 37 Military Hospital, said the hospital received seven people on Sunday. Four were brought in dead and three were seriously injured.

Brigadier Twum said the President and his wife, who sustained minor injuries, were treated and discharged. "They have been checked this morning and we will continue to monitor them until we are satisfied with their health," he said.