Condom Road - Hub for sexual promiscuity, social vices in Tamale

Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, is known for its rich culture, motorbikes and rapid urbanisation. 

Among its many landmarks, one street name which stands out is "Condom Road".

This intriguing name has sparked curiosity, conversation and, in some cases, controversy among locals and visitors alike.

Contrary to what many first-time visitors might think, the name “Condom Road” has no direct link to any formal government naming convention.

It is a name coined by residents, primarily due to the prevalence of discarded used condoms on the stretch each day.

The road, which connects the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) warehouse in Choggu to the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, has gained notoriety for sexual promiscuity and other social vices.

Specifically, it stretches through the Aboabo forest from Choggu to the Nyohini-Sagnarigu road in the Sagnarigu Municipality.

It is said that the road was constructed to open up the capital and make movement to the Aliu Mahama Sport Stadium, constructed to host matches during the African Cup of Nations in 2008, easy.

Due to its proximity to the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, Condom Road gets particularly busy on match days, and when there is a mega show in the facility, patrons throng the area.

On a usual day, people are seen parking their cars and motorbikes along the stretch and entering the forest to engage in all manner of activities best known to them.

Hub of promiscuity

Narrating the history, the first settler along the stretch, Mohammed Iddi, said the nickname of the road did not just come by mistake, but due to promiscuous activities that were taking place in the area.

He explained that it was usual to see many used condoms discarded along the stretch, which often caused pedestrians to slip.

"Some time ago, I found condoms at my workplace. But the most shocking was when I was sweeping around our mosque and found one just by the building," he said.

Mr Iddi added that some time ago, one could often see men and women on the road at night as if it was a brothel.

Poor visibility

Mr Iddi indicated that the road is busy during the day but very scary during the night, because of the forest and some street lights not functioning.

"It's now dangerous because armed robbers are taking over from the illicit sexual activities.

If one tries using the road at midnight, he/she might be robbed," he added.

Corroborating this, the Assemblyman for the Gumbihini Electoral Area, Abdul Kadir Abdul Waris, said due to the poor visibility along the stretch, it had been turned into a den for criminal activities.

"There is a junction on the road that leads to Ghana Broadcasting Cooperation (GBC) called "Sara Junction", where people deposit a lot of spiritual things, making the place scary sometimes," he said.

However, he appealed to the authorities to help fix the street lights that are not functioning to get rid of criminals along the stretch.

Writer's email: mohammed.fugu@graphic.com.gh