North industrial area enclave dying due to bad road

Accra’s Light Industrial Area otherwise known as North Industrial Area which used to buzz with so much activity is now almost dead. This is due to the very bad nature of the main road that runs through the area and links it up to the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange and North Kaneshie residential areas.

The road is so rough and riddled with potholes that using it is a nightmare, especially after rainfall. Even articulated trucks or cross country vehicles avoid using it. 

Although the road has been in a bad shape for over a year, it is as if that stretch of the road from the Latex Foam showroom right up to the junction that leads to the very popular Melcom Plus shopping centre, has been totally neglected.

The few drivers that do not know the extent of deterioration on that road who use it will not only wonder if that road is a thoroughfare or has been closed, but also risk damaging their shock absorbers, shaft or other mechanisms on their vehicles. 

No wonder the road is now scarcely used by drivers and it is as if the life in the area has been snuffed out because there is very little human activity, resulting in low patronage of goods and services there.

It is, however, amazing that the area is dotted with banks such as the National Investment Bank (NIB) and the Stanbic Bank.

Other huge businesses apart from the several offices which contribute to Ghana’s economy that can be found there, include the Paloma Hotel, Poly Products, Polytex, Ashanti Foam Ltd (Ashfoam), Nsawam Foam and Innolink.

Monitoring

The Daily Graphic’s attempt to find out why the about 400-metre stretch of road has been neglected and what was being done to fix it was unsuccessful.

Our checks indicated that the road, which is the responsibility of the Greater Accra regional office of the Urban Roads, had already been awarded on contract but several attempts to get the Regional Director of Urban Roads, Mr Ben Adomah, for further details about the contract failed.

During the last visit of the Daily Graphic to the Light Industrial Area enclave last Thursday, it was noticed that an attempt had been made to improve on the road, although no major construction had begun.

Two idle graders and a roller were also sited on a portion of the road, suggesting that they had been used for some work on the road but there were no workers around at about 1p.m. on the day of the visit.   

Fix road

Roads have a way of making a place come alive or seem dead, depending on their state at a particular period because they open up places for business.

That is why roads are very important in a place that wants to see serious economic development and road contracts take up a large chunk of the budget every year.

While the Daily Graphic still tries to find answers to why a once vibrant industrial enclave has been so neglected, we hope Urban Roads which is under the Ministry of Roads will rise to the occasion and fix the road before the industrial enclave becomes a  ghost town.

Writer’s email: edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh