The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service in the northern region will come out to embark on a public sensitization exercise to educate residents of Tamale and motorists on the Naa Gbewa interchange.
The move has become necessary because a section of the public especially school children have turned the overpass as pedestrian walkway as well as lightweight machines such as tricycles and motorcycles also using the highway instead of the underground roads.
Chief Superintendent Mahmud Yussif, the MTTD Northern Regional Commander, in an exclusive interview with THE CUSTODIAN said the edifice is not pedestrian friendly and motorcycle riders as well.
He said personnel of the motor traffic department in the coming days will come out to conduct public sensitization and education as to the usage of the facility and physical restrain people from walking on top of the project.
“Looking at the nature of the project, it is pedestrians unfriendly – it is completely not for pedestrians, even motorbikes are not allowed, motorkings are not also allowed, it is primarily constructed or built for vehicles” he said.
Chief Supt Mahmud added the mandated state institutions in the region have been holding meetings pertaining to concerns that have come up since the commissioning by President Nana Akufo-Addo on March 29, 2022.
“We must admit that it’s the first of its kind in northern Ghana and most people at least would be going there as a sort of tourist attraction or to have the experience, so we will not be much into prosecution”.
He however appealed to commuters to adhere to the road traffic regulations in order to prevent accidents from occurring whilst safety measures are taken.
“I wish to appeal to the general public to at least, for now, adhere and observe the traffic rules along that area else we’re all sitting on time bomb” he asserted.
Project Completion
The MTTD Commander stated the project engineers are still working assiduously on the line makings and reflectors to improve visibility on the road particularly at night.
“The project is not fully complete and there are still some finishing touches and some line makings that are required and the engineers are working assiduously on that” he indicated.
In a related development, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department will soon resume the enforcement exercise started last year in the region to arrest road traffic offenders in the area.
The Commander indicated recalcitrant persons will be arraigned this time before the court for prosecution.
He maintained accident cases in the regional capital reduced drastically when management of the public road sector institutions collaborated to clampdown on the use of unregistered vehicles and persons riding without crush helmets.
“We’re coming back to the streets very soon and this time round some prosecutions will be made so that people will learn to appreciate that you don’t ride without crush helmet or drive an unlicensed and unregistered vehicles” he emphasized.
2020 accident situation
Giving an update on reported accident cases in the first quarter of this year, Chief Supt Mahmud Yussif lamented the situation is not too good.
He noted when you however compare the figures to other areas in the country, it looks good but added on the generality it’s not good enough.
“So the accidents situation within the first quarter is not too good but if we were to compare to other areas, I can say we’re doing better but there is much room for improvement”.
