The silent killer on our road

Like many other developing countries, Ghana struggles to sustain a maintenance-focused culture. The frequent disregard of the obligation to properly maintain infrastructure and public services causes the country's assets to deteriorate. The phrase "left to the dogs" has been used to describe this issue of careless maintenance. When potholes on a road become a deathtrap, the negative effects on people can be even more severe.

The ECOWAS highway through Dzodze to Accra, which was intended to be well-kept, is now at the mercy of nature. The most terrifying deathtrap-shaped potholes on the highway can be seen between Dzodze Dzesime and Kave Juction.

These deep, wide, or poorly marked potholes pose a significant risk to motorists. The potholes engulf car tyres or cause a vehicle to lose control, serious incidents such as rollovers or collisions with other vehicles can occur.

When such dangerous potholes are encountered, the chance of catastrophic injuries or fatalities increase. Car occupants have suffered significant injuries as a result of the impact of these deep or jagged potholes. These have the ability to kill or seriously injure humans.

Motorcycle riders, cyclists, and pedestrians are particularly vulnerable in this area. Drivers who encounter these enormous potholes unexpectedly, particularly at night, may lose control of their car, perhaps leading to an accident. Potholes are very dangerous to motorcycles and riders.

Seeing or experiencing accidents caused by unsafe potholes may have long-term psychological consequences. Survivors may experience PTSD, anxiety, or grief, all of which can negatively affect their overall mental health. Bystanders who witness an accident may experience mental agony and stress. Large and deep potholes make it harder for emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire trucks to reach their destinations swiftly.

These dangerous potholes, which appear to be neglected may erode public trust in infrastructure management and maintenance authorities. It can lead to dissatisfaction, mistrust, and skepticism in the ability of duty bearers or responsible authorities to create safe and functional road networks. Because no one looked concerned despite the fact that this threat has been around for almost a decade. The Ketu North Municipal Assembly is conveniently close to the deathtrap, which is only a few metres away.

Duty bearers should be proactive and resolve this issue once and for all by finding a long-term solution. Because these potholes pose a significant risk to human life, authorities should prioritize resolving this issue. Every life is precious.