CHECK ILLEGAL ROAD BLOCKS IN TEMA, DAILY GRAPHIC, MON FEB 7, 2011 (PAGE 23)

Story: Della Russel Ocloo, Tema

THE creation of illegal road blocks and humps in various townships including the Tema Metropolis and Ashaiman Municipality has become a common practice by residents and traders of those areas.
These residents and traders practice their illegal skills mainly in new and developing settlements as well as areas with untared roads.
The use of all sorts of materials such as stones, logs, baskets dustbins and boxes to block the roads to compel drivers and other users to slow down on getting to the blocked spots.
The practice has been ongoing for sometime now and because those who do that are not sanctioned, it is fast gaining root and spreading to other areas to the extent that, people think they own portions of the road because they either live close by or undertake activities in those areas.
Residents in suburbs such as Middle East, Newtown, Official Town, all in the Ashaiman municipality have resorted to the illegal practice resulting from traffic congestion along the main Michel Camp-Tema Motorway stretch as well as entire Ashaiman township. The situation is not different at community 10, 2 and 3, where immense road works are ongoing.
The use of logs, stones, lorry tyres amongst other objects as well as the construction of unapproved speed ramps by residents in various suburbs where access routes available to motorists has become the latest trend in the above mention communities.
Road construction in Tema and Ashaiman has over the past 7months witnessed heavy vehicular traffic congestion along major stretches, thus access routes within the various suburbs have been serving as reprieve for road users in reaching their destinations.
A tour of the routes revealed, various objects have positioned in the middle of the road to prevent motorists a right of entry.
A resident at Middle East who spoke to the Daily Graphic on condition of anonymity pointed out that, over speeding on the part of the users have prompted them into those decisions to deny them admission.
According to him, most drivers become overzealous in their attempt to divert traffic through the suburb, thus their approach apart from endangering the life of children in the area has also led to the admission of dust particles into their homes.
Motorists are thus appealing to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), the Department of Urban Roads and the Tema Metropolitan and Ashaiman Municipal Assemblies to check the practice.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Ashaiman, Mr Numo Adinortey, in an interview with this reporter condemned the illegal blockades being created by residents.
According to him, the said links were demarcated for use by motorists when construction works took off in earnest within the municipality and was thus astonished, residents have taken such stance. He has however given an assurance to deploy city guards to the affected suburbs to ensure sanity.
Mr Kempes Ofosuware of the TMA on the other hand said his outfit has position personnel in the affected areas to control issues of over speeding being raised by residents.