The silent menace on our roads

Like many other developing countries, Ghana struggles to foster a culture of maintenance. The frequent disregard for properly maintaining infrastructure and public services leads to the deterioration of the country's assets.

This issue has been described as negligence, where crucial maintenance tasks are left unattended. However, when neglected roads turn into death traps filled with potholes, the consequences for the people become even more dire.

The ECOWAS highway connecting Dzodze to Accra, once envisioned as well-maintained, now lies at the mercy of nature. The most alarming potholes, resembling deathtraps, can be found between Dzodze Dzesime and Kave Junction. 

These deep, wide, and inadequately marked potholes pose a significant risk to motorists, capable of engulfing car tires or causing vehicles to lose control. This situation often leads to serious accidents, including rollovers and collisions with other vehicles. 

The encounter with these treacherous potholes drastically increases the chances of catastrophic injuries or fatalities. 

Car occupants have suffered severe injuries due to the impact of these deep or jagged craters, with some even losing their lives. 

The vulnerability of motorcycle riders, cyclists, and pedestrians is particularly concerning in this area. 

Drivers who unexpectedly encounter these enormous potholes, especially at night, may lose control of their vehicles, resulting in accidents. Potholes are an imminent danger to both motorcycles and their riders.

Witnessing or experiencing accidents caused by these hazardous potholes can have long-lasting psychological consequences. Survivors may endure post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or grief, all of which can severely impact their overall mental well-being. Even bystanders who witness accidents may suffer mental anguish and stress. Furthermore, the presence of large and deep potholes hampers the swift movement of emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire trucks, towards their destinations.

The negligence displayed in neglecting these dangerous potholes may erode public trust in infrastructure management and maintenance authorities. 

It can lead to dissatisfaction, mistrust, and scepticism regarding the ability of duty-bearers and responsible authorities to create safe and functional road networks. 

This threat has persisted for almost a decade, yet no one seems genuinely concerned, despite the Ketu North Municipal Assembly being conveniently close to this deathtrap, just a few meters away.

Duty bearers must take proactive measures to resolve this issue once and for all by finding a long-term solution. 

Given that these potholes pose a significant risk to human life, authorities should prioritize their resolution. Every life is valuable and deserves protection.