Residents lack access roads to their homes--- due to road works in western part of Accra

RESIDENTS in parts of the western part of Accra who get to their homes through Kwashieman junction have complained about lack of access roads to their homes.
This is because the road which cuts through the Abeka Lapaz -Mallam Junction motorway through Kwashieman to Santa Maria all the way to the Achimota - Ofankor road had been blocked because of ongoing construction works.
The residents have, therefore, appealed to the Ga South Municipal Assembly and other relevant authorities to assist by working on some of the access roads within the community to enable them drive safely.
Similar situations exist at both the Awoshie and Mallam junctions where motorists had to struggle to go to town in the morning and also to get back home in the evening.
Currently, a major construction work under the Millennium Challenge Authority (MCA), sponsored by the United States (US) government is taking place between the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange to Mallam Junction.
Because all the good roads that enter Santa Maria have been blocked, motorists have to force their way in-between houses and other alternative roads which are simply unmotorable.
In the case of the Kwashieman junction, residents are complaining because a bypass which was created some metres away from the junction to enable vehicles coming from the Presbyterian Church area to join the main road near Been-To Complex has been blocked for no apparent reason.
Another road which passes through Hong Kong that residents are supposed to use is as deplorable as others.
What has made matters worse is the recent rains which have turned many of the alternative byroads into drains in which large volumes of water pass and thus creating pot holes which make driving difficult and unpleasant.
A journey which could previously take five minutes can now take 45 minutes , that is if one is fortunate to drive without damages to his or her vehicle.
Mr James Plange, a 53 year old civil servant who said he had lived at Santa Maria for the past 27 years said his car had been to the workshop three times in the last six weeks.
He said driving in and out of the area had become a nightmare which he dreaded doing.
Madam Martha Mensah, a resident of Sowutuom told the Daily Graphic that she parked her car at a friend’s house at Odorkor every evening from work to join trotro back home.
A group of students who live at Odorkor and attend Odorgonno Senior High School at Awoshie complained that they find it difficult to get to school as well as back home because of the condition of the road.
The situation is no better for motorists and communtors from Mallam and Gbawe.
Due to the road construction, the Mallam Junction has been relocated, hence motorists have to drive up the Macharty Hill steep to enable them to turn around and join the main road towards Odorkor.
Somehow the police and Trafitac personnel who control traffic at the intersection, insist that the vehicles from Mallam should all drive up the hill when in actual fact, they could just wait at the foot of the hill and be directed to turn.
This results in situations where some drivers of vehicles, particularly the old commercial vehicles which have difficulty climbing such a steep hill due to the nature of their vehicles are seen virtually struggling to make the climb while at the same time trying to avoid crashing into other vehicles as the road up the hill is very narrow.
There has been frightening situations where very old Tipper trucks loaded with sand or stone have been seen struggling to make the climb to the chagrin of other vehicle drivers who hold their breath, anticipating a tragedy any minute.
The motorists have therefore called on the head of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) to review the current operations at the Macharty Hill Junction to avert any future loss of lives.