Kwabena Adu Koranteng Writes
The Accra–Kumasi Highway, one of Ghana’s busiest transport corridors, has deteriorated into a dangerous stretch of road claiming hundreds of lives each year. According to investigative journalist Kwabena Adu Koranteng, the government must declare a state of emergency and immediately begin reconstruction to convert the road into a dual carriageway.
From Pokuase to Nsawam, Suhum to Nkawkaw, Dadieso through Asankare, Atwedie, Juaso, Nkwanta, Konongo, and Ejisu, the highway is pockmarked with deep potholes, manholes, and uneven surfaces. With over 1000 deaths recorded annually, the road has been described by motorists as “the gates of hell.”
Every day, cars, buses, petrol and diesel tankers, long-haul trucks, and heavy-duty vehicles jostle for space on a single lane in each direction. The result is frequent head-on collisions, many caused by dangerous overtaking and poor visibility—especially at night, due to the lack of street lighting.
Local residents and road users paint a grim picture. Rose Nkansa, a tiger nut hawker at Nkawkaw, says she has personally witnessed countless crashes, the most recent involving a fully loaded Toyota Hiace and a Kia Bongo truck, leaving several people seriously injured.
Sam Arthur, a mechanic in the area, describes the road as “too narrow and too damaged for the volume of traffic it carries.” He warns that without urgent government intervention, the death toll will continue to climb. “At night, you can barely see ahead. With no street lights, one wrong move can cost lives,” he added.
Despite repeated calls from citizens and transport unions, there is growing frustration that the government is “dragging its feet” on the project. Critics say every day of delay costs more lives, and the urgency for action has never been greater.
