Ineptitude of Urban Roads Dept in Kumasi is killing innocent citizens on Sofoline highway

An urgent plea has been issued to the appropriate authorities to address the persistent challenges facing passengers and the general public conducting business along the Kumasi Sofoline highway over the past few years.

Sofoline stands as one of Kumasi's busiest commercial and lorry terminals, yet it lacks numerous essential facilities for traffic control and management.

The dire situation has led to numerous road clashes, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives on a daily basis. Despite these grave concerns, authorities have been slow to implement solutions.

It was discovered that the sole traffic light serving the area was destroyed by a reckless driver on March 16, 2020, and regrettably, no efforts have been made to rectify the issue since then. Consequently, accidents and fatalities persist unabated at Sofoline.

In a conversation with Mr. Kwesi Boamah, the terminal's manager, he expressed deep concern about the situation at Sofoline and the alarming rate of accidents claiming innocent lives.

Mr. Boamah revealed that despite repeated appeals to the relevant authorities since the destruction of the traffic light in 2020, no action has been taken to address the matter.

Currently, Sofoline lacks both traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, necessitating volunteers to manage traffic flow manually.

Mr. Boamah, who also serves as the chairman of the Gprtu's Sofoline-Atonsu Super branch, recounted an emergency meeting held with the Ashanti Regional Director of the Urban Roads Department, Mr. Gambrah, at the Kwadaso Municipal Assembly. Unfortunately, the outcome of the meeting was only partially encouraging.

While Mr. Gambrah acknowledged the urgency of the situation and pledged to address the traffic light and pedestrian crossing issues within three weeks, tragedy struck on the very day of the meeting. Three pedestrians, including a union member, were fatally struck by vehicles at Sofoline due to the absence of proper traffic control measures.

Mr. Boamah emphasized that appeals to the Urban Roads Department have been numerous, and if necessary, all union members operating at the terminal are prepared to take drastic action to end the ongoing controversy at Sofoline.

He also pointed out that incidents at Sofoline intensify between 3-7pm daily after commuters have left for their respective destinations, partly attributing the carnage to the alleged negligence of police officers on duty during those hours, who fail to apprehend reckless drivers.

Efforts to reach Mr. Gambrah's office for comment were unsuccessful, and while police officials assured of action against careless drivers at Sofoline, they preferred to remain anonymous.