Use The Footbridge: It Was Built For You

The government did not build footbridges for beauty. They were not built for decoration. They were built for one reason — to keep you alive.

Every footbridge you see in Accra, from Lapaz to Achimota to Madina, from Kaneshie to Kasoa, is a gift of safety from the government to the people. It is proof that the community matters and that your life matters. And yet, many of us walk past it and choose to run across the dangerous highway.

Why The Government Built The Footbridge

•For You, The People

The main roads and highways were built for fast-moving cars. They were not built for people to cross on foot. The government knows this, so it spent millions of cedis to build a separate, safe road in the air — just for pedestrians. It is your road.

• For The Community

When a road is safe, the whole community benefits. Children can go to school safely. Mothers can go to the market safely. Traders can move their goods. No family has to receive that terrible phone call that their loved one has been knocked down by a car. A safe community is a strong community.

•For Safety
This is the most important reason. A car on the N1 Motorway moves at 100km/h. A human being cannot outrun it. The footbridge removes you completely from the danger. On the bridge, there are no cars, no speeding, no brakes failing. There is only safety.

Why You Must Use It

My brother, my sister, using the footbridge is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of wisdom.

•It protects your life. Your family is waiting for you at home. Your children are waiting. Your two minutes of climbing is nothing compared to a lifetime with your family.

•It protects the driver. No driver wakes up and wants to kill someone. When you dash across the road, you put the driver in danger too. Using the bridge protects both of you.

•It protects the future. When you use the bridge, your child learns to use it. When you ignore it, your child learns to ignore it. Be the example.

•It shows appreciation. The government used your tax money to build that bridge for you. Using it is a way of saying thank you and showing that the investment was worth it. When we use it, government will be encouraged to build more for other communities.

The road is for cars. The footbridge is for people.

The next time you get to a road where there is a footbridge, please do not look left and right to run. Look up. The bridge is there.

Stop. Climb. Cross. Be safe.

The bridge was made for you. Please use it.