Dysfunctional traffic lights to be rehabilitated.

Story: Matilda Attram
Dysfunctional traffic lights to be rehabilitated.
The Accra Metropolitan Roads Department is to carry out a major rehabilitation of all disfunctioning traffic lights in the Accra metropolis to save lives.
The rehabilitation works will involve the changing of underground cables that have become dysfunctional as a result of the load shedding exercise experienced in the country two years ago.
The Traffic Engineer of the Department of Urban Roads, Mr Theodore Quaye, attributed the malfunctioning of most traffic lights at intersections mainly to the load shedding exercise. He was answering questions posed by the Daily Graphic on the malfunctioning of most traffic lights in the metropolis.
He explained that the exercise affected the control buttons of the underground cables and resulted in the poor functioning of the lights.
Mr Quaye said apart from the load shedding exercise, the company also faced two other major problems, which needed to be addressed.
He also said some of the traffic lights had expired and the worn out underground cables had to be replaced with new ones.
“We had a major problem two years ago during the load shedding period and that affected most of our controllers. There is also the need for some of these lights to be replaced since the lifespan of the signal has come to an end,” he said.
He added that the company encountered problems of reckless drivers who hit the lights and ran away resulting in great losses to the company and the state.
“We also have the problem of hit-and-run incidents, the cost of which the government has to bear and this adds up to the problems being taken care of and which takes some time to repair”, he said.
He warned that reckless drivers who damaged any traffic light would be arrested and surcharged with the cost of replacement.
Mr Quaye again said some of the lights did not operate due to the absence of electric power from the Electricity Corporation of Ghana and that the security agencies were contacted to direct vehicles at the intersections in such situations.
He said the company had, therefore, instructed the contractors of Signals and Controllers Ghana and Facol Roads for the replacement and maintenance of the lights.
He emphasised that although all intersections were equally important, there were some which needed much attention because of the huge traffic which could cause serious problems.
“ We ensure that intersections like the Opeibia, Gold House and the Holy Spirit Cathedral areas work all the time, because they are key areas that encounter heavy vehicular traffic for a long period of time”, he explained.
Mr Quaye, therefore, said the relevant controllers would be imported into the country soon to save lives in the rampant accidents in the country.