Of Okada, Aboboyaa and Streetlights in Accra. How to survive daily death assassination on the road

In the past few years, I took a step back from writing to reassess my focus. Immersed in academia, I harboured a desire to publish scientific papers. However, not being a subject area expert or researcher, the intricacies of going through a rigorous peer review process before publishing in high impact journals (or whatever that means) have been my main drawback. Consequently, I set aside my pen to contemplate how to engage the broader society on issues of national relevance, free from academic constraints.

Having re-emerged from this hiatus, I am now addressing the critical issues posed by Okada (commercial motorcycles) and Aboboyaa or "Pragyia" (motorized tricycles), as well as the breakdown of streetlights and malfunctioning traffic lights in Accra, Ghana's capital.

Accra boasts a comprehensive and evolving road network designed to accommodate its growing population and economic activities. Its major highways include:

• N1 Highway: Extending from Elubo near the Ivorian border to Aflao at the Togo border, the N1 passes through Accra, facilitating coastal connectivity.
• N4 Highway: Originating at the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange in Accra, the N4 extends northward, connecting Accra to Kumasi and beyond.
• N6 Highway: This route links Accra to Kumasi, serving as a vital corridor for both passenger and freight transport.

Within the city itself, Accra has quite a number of urban and major arterial roads, which serve as primary routes for intra-city travel. Despite these advancements, road safety in Accra remains a critical concern. According to available records, Ghana, in general, suffers from a high rate of road traffic accidents, with around six people dying each day due to collisions (Ghanaweb: Road Traffic Accidents: A hidden public health emergency in Ghana, Sunday 2 March 2025). This leads to an annual loss exceeding $230 million, which accounts for about 1.7% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (source).

While specific, up-to-date statistics for Accra are limited, a study published in PLOS ONE in January 2024 highlighted that road traffic collisions (RTCs) are a leading cause of death in Ghana. I am a daily dawn commuter from the Kasoa-Amasaman road through the main Amasaman-Achimota road to East Legon. My observation and lived experience: Accra is poorly lit! There are virtually no functional streetlights to guide dawn commuters on these major roads, and I presume in most places in the capital. The traffic on this stretch is unidirectional, but there is always the risk of bumping into the hind sides of these Aboboyaa and Okada locomotives amid the darkness on the road, and more so because most of these Aboboyaa do not have reflectors and taillights. It is always a death warrant, and one can only be thankful and sigh a relief when a safe arrival is registered. The numerous daily encounters with death leave much to be desired.

The Aboboyaa Menace
Okada and Aboboyaa (or Pragyia) have become ubiquitous in Ghana’s transport landscape, providing affordable mobility and livelihoods. While Okada dominates passenger transport, these Aboboyaa, originally designed for transportation of passengers, have been repurposed for various uses, including waste collection, and transportation of goods. However, their unregulated operation has led to significant public safety, environmental, and urban management challenges, such as scattering waste and clogging drains. Their chaotic operations undermine Accra’s image as a modern city. Worse still, they often operate even on highways and principal streets, for which the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC) imposed a ban on their operations in the Central Business Districts (CBD) of Accra Metropolitan and surrounding areas to restore orderliness to the streets. It has not worked!

The chaotic operations of Okada and Aboboyaa riders have become a source of frustration for many motorists and pedestrians alike.

Poor Visibility
Poor visibility at dawn increases collision and safety risks near stalled vehicles. The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) reports 12% of dawn accidents involve stationary vehicles. Inadequate lighting impairs visibility for drivers and pedestrians, and is compounded by becoming hotspots for criminal activities, including theft and assault. The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Akweley Ocloo, is on record to have pledged to repair 70% of the city's faulty streetlights within 50 days of assumption of office. One wonders, first, if this is not one of the mere rhetorics of politicians, and second, where the focus would be, even if 20% of the exercise would be undertaken within that timeframe. Time will tell, though.

Traffic Standstill
The nuisance is exacerbated by standstill traffic if one decides to delay a bit and depend on the natural daylight for clearer vision. The city's road network is heavily congested, particularly during the morning peak hours (06:00 – 09:00 GMT). Studies indicate that over 50,000 vehicles per day have been recorded at certain points in Accra during weekends. On typical weekdays, approximately 270,000 vehicle trips are made into or out of the central area of Accra (https://www.ama.gov.gh/documents/2022_Accra_Road_Safety_Report_resized.pdf).

Road construction projects in Accra are also impacting traffic flow, leading to congestion, delays, and safety concerns for commuters. The ongoing construction of the Ofankor-Nsawam highway has caused severe traffic disruptions, with the portion from Nsawam Doblo to Amasaman plagued by 'manholes' and dust clouds. Heavy rains further exacerbate conditions, leaving vehicles stranded in flooded stretches. This project, which began in July 2022 and was initially scheduled for completion within 24 months, has stalled due to financial constraints.

According to the World Bank, these traffic congestion costs Accra $130 million annually (World Bank, 2020), with dawn disruptions affecting shift workers, traders, and logistics operators. Fuel waste from idling and missed work hours reduce productivity.

Some Recommendations to Reduce Menace on our Roads

I am inclined to add my commentary to the recommendations to curb the menace on Accra’s roads. To me, the practical steps will include:

• Enforcing compliance with regulations on Okada operations, including the wearing of protective gears, including helmets for both riders and their passengers (the compliance mechanism in place in Rwanda is a case study for other African countries).

• Equally enforcing compliance with other road regulations on all riders and drivers, respecting speed limits, and imposing fines on defaulters to serve not only as deterrents but also as a source of funding to employ more traffic police.

• Availing real-time traffic monitoring systems, and tow trucks/emergency services, especially at dawn to facilitate clearance times in case of vehicular emergencies. Drivers should, of necessity, always use headlights especially if the streetlights are out, and signal their intentions well in advance when driving at night. In areas where visibility is low due to faulty streetlights, reducing speed and driving defensively should be the norm. Indeed, there is a greater need to increase dawn patrols by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) on highways. This resonates well with our 24-hour economy mantra (and more youth will be employed by this act).
• Exploring cheaper means of deploying solar energy to power the streetlights and traffic lights in Ghana’s capital. Ghana’s tertiary educational institutions (traditional and technical universities, research institutes, etc. churn out tens of thousands of graduates per year. It will be ideal if our numerous and technical and technology-focused universities would commit to empowering their students to be more locally relevant by committing to solving societal and environmental challenges using available resources such as solar energy. The inadequate traffic light infrastructure, the challenges associated with the unstable power supply, and the energy needed to power the lights in the city would be something of the past.
• Leveraging technology by installing technology-driven surveillance systems such as CCTV cameras to monitor traffic behaviour, and using GPS for navigation around the city to avoid hotspots where traffic gets congested. In fact, a recent publication titled "Reimagining Road Safety: Leveraging Technology to Combat Road Fatalities in Ghana" was published in the International Journal of Science, Technology and Society in February 2025. This paper investigates the factors contributing to the inefficacy of traditional safety measures and proposes a paradigm shift towards technology-driven solutions. The study highlights the systematic failure where road safety is compromised for personal gain, with both drivers and law enforcement officials implicated in hazardous practices. The authors advocate for adopting technology-driven surveillance systems, such as CCTV cameras, to curb road traffic fatalities by eliminating human discretion and mitigating corruption opportunities.
• Intensifying the campaigns for regular vehicle maintenance (e.g., checking tyres, brakes, oil, etc.).
• Ensuring that the various Metropolitan or Municipal Assemblies build or establish waste transfer stations to reduce the numerous interferences of Aboboyaa on the streets especially during rush hours

To everyone, and without any ill will towards the operators of Aboboyaa and Okada who earn their livelihood from their trade, it is advisable to opt for reliable public transportation options like buses and taxis whenever possible, as they are generally safer for long-distance travel compared to Okadas and Aboboyaas. In the short to medium term, the Ministry of Transport should strive to expand Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and metro services to major parts of the capital.

A special appeal goes out to all of us to be responsible citizens. If you notice a faulty streetlight or anything that may pose a road hazard, please report it to the Metropolitan or Municipal Assembly or the police and fire departments as soon as possible. It would be beneficial if these assemblies could prioritize mounting billboards to inform the public about their emergency numbers.

Let us all make an effort to stay safe on our roads through a combination of caution, awareness, and preparedness.