Filth and bill posting ; Who is in charge of Accra?
I want to express my concern on a number of issues which are affecting our development negatively.
My first point is the filth on the Liberation/Independence Avenue. Considering that this is the gateway to Ghana and all visitors use it, one would expect that the powers that be will ensure that this road is kept free of hawkers so that the vegetation in the central reservation will flourish. It should be cleared of all hawkers right to central Accra as it also passes in front of the Jubilee House.
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The idea that the hawkers are earning a living, so it should be left to be destroyed should be put to bed once and for all!
It has also become more important to undertake this exercise with the opening of the new terminal.
We cannot welcome visitors into a first-class terminal only to be greeted by filth when they come out onto this road to their destinations.
The Ring Road too from Obetsebi-Lamptey roundabout all the way to the coastal road, is suffering a similar fate of abandonment.
My second point is bill posting. The biggest culprits are the churches and politicians. Should these people be allowed to post bills on public structures, especially the pillars underneath the flyovers. It is very easy to identify the culprits as their faces and organisations are clearly written on these posters. One expects politicians and church leaders to provide the leadership to keep Accra clean, but apparently, they don’t see it as such.
The Chief Executive of Accra can easily prosecute these culprits as I am sure there are bye-laws preventing such infringements. A couple of high-profile prosecutions might send the correct message that the Chief Executive’s Office is open for business.
I am waiting with bated breath to see the first person to put a poster in the new tunnel between East Legon and Spintex Road, to open the flood gate for others to follow.
On the new tunnel, they could have opened the road up into two lanes on the existing one towards Spintex Road, so that vehicles travelling towards Action Chapel and Accra Mall would have the right lane. Currently, all you need is about four vehicles waiting at the lights to turn left towards Palace Supermarket, and a tail back is created right to the East Legon side, blocking all the access roads.
It is also disappointing that they created a central reservation and planted grass on the East Legon side only to leave it for the hawkers to trample all over it and create a mess. Do the authorities have an interest in working to make Accra beautiful or they’re powerless in the pursuit of votes?
It is just over two years since the President declared at a durbar held by Ga chiefs to make Accra the most beautiful city in Africa. Why don’t we take baby steps first by saying the most beautiful city in Ghana, than Africa?
Mayor, over to you!
Frederick, Accra
