Commuters at Botwe School Junction in Accra have complained about persistent congestion and inadequate public transport, describing journeys as stressful and time-consuming.
The area experiences heavy traffic during peak hours, with long queues of slow-moving vehicles.
Madam Afia Yeboah, a commuter, told the Ghana News Agency that transportation in Accra had become increasingly difficult.
“When you are going to work or returning home, getting public transport is not easy at all. Even when you manage to get one, drivers sometimes overprice the fares, and complaining often worsens the situation,” she said.
Madam Yeboah said morning rush-hour traffic often delayed her arrival at work.
“Most people try to make their way to work in the morning, which creates serious congestion. This often results in me arriving late,” she noted.
Madam Yeboah said some drivers resorted to poor alternative routes to avoid traffic, causing discomfort.
“Sometimes, these roads cause waist and back pain because they are not properly maintained,” she said.
Madam Gifty Okine, another commuter, attributed the situation to a shortage of vehicles.
“The shortage of vehicles makes commuting stressful. High demand also pushes fares higher,” she said, adding that poor traffic management exacerbated the problem.
Madam Abigail Mensah, a resident, said congestion peaked between 0600 hours and 1000 hours.
“At the Botwe School Junction bus station, there are long queues and few vehicles available. Even when work ends, the situation repeats,” she said.
Madam Mensah criticised restrictions on “floating” vehicles, stating that ‘station masters’ sometimes prevented them from picking up passengers.
She called on the government to provide more vehicles at bus stations to ease congestion.
Mr Kwaku Acquah, a driver, said the queues were mainly due to a shortage of buses during peak periods.
“Traffic makes it difficult for passengers and drivers to reach their destinations on time. Sometimes we cannot complete the expected number of trips in a day,” he said.
Mr Kofi Appiah, a station master, explained that “floating” vehicles were not permitted because they were not registered under the union.
“Floating cars are not registered under the union. If passengers leave valuable items in a station vehicle, we can secure them. Floating cars cannot be accounted for in such cases,” he said.
Observers said comprehensive measures were required to address traffic congestion in Accra, noting that the Government had earlier announced plans to deploy additional buses to improve transport services.
GNA
