Tuesday, April 5, 2022, marked exactly a week after the first ever interchange in the northern part of Ghana was opened to vehicular traffic by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in Tamale.
The landmark infrastructure was named after the founder of the ancient Dagbon tradition, Na Gbewa.
The purpose for the construction of the monumental edifice was to ease vehicular congestion and significantly improve traveling time in the northern regional capital.
The pre-stressed concrete bridge with few joints is about 1.1 kilometres with streetlights and drainage system.
THE CUSTODIAN engaged some motorists using the road to find out whether or not the project is realizing the intended purpose and also elicit their personal experiences.
Largely, the individuals who spoke our Northern Regional Correspondent, Mohammed Gadafi, agreed that traveling time has improved greatly as anticipated and there is free flow of traffic in the Tamale metropolis.
One of the motorists, a motorcycle rider who has not used such facility before, said, “It makes our work so easy now and the way we use to struggle here, now, I can use the top to town and buy anything and go back to the house.”
Another person identified as Mr Manan, driving through with his 4×4 pickup said he can now drive within a minute from the Agricultural Development Bank area to the other end of the road, and, “So, I think it’s a good thing and it help us move around town quite easily”.
When asked whether it will boost the economic situation in the area, he intimated, “Yes, it has actually saved me a lot of time; trying to find my way through town and with vehicular traffic, it has saved us a lot going to the office.”
Another motorist identified as Inusah, lauded the initiative and stated hitherto there was so much congestion around the Taxi rank area where he noted vendors and beggars invaded the road frustrating movement of motorcycles.
“But now there is freedom now when you climb on the interchange and we thank the government for that” he commended.
He added people can now move freely to transact all manner of economic activities in the metropolis without any obstruction.
However, he expressed worry that some individuals particularly school children loiter on the project and urged the authorities to curb that before any eventuality.
Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Shaibu, in a separate interaction told THE CUSTODIAN several intersections have been created to open up the central business area enabling economic activities to thrive in the city.
“We can also see that there is improving during the evening compared to previously when there was traffic jam in the area and the situation will even improve much more better when a lot more of people get use to driving on the interchange” he said.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu further called on the Urban Roads to educate the public on the use of the edifice and warned that overpass is not meant for bicycles and motorcycles, explaining that it is a highway and people must not take chances for their safety.
“The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly will soon come out with regulations to direct the use of the facility” he indicated.
