Indiscipline in Effia-Kwesimintsim
The newly created Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipality seems to be struggling with discipline issues, as activities are being carried out by various sectors of the society without recourse to the safety and convenience of the public.
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Contractors deposit sand, gravel and erect construction equipment without considering the safety of community members and road users in the municipality.
For instance, the contractor working on a four-storey facility near the Takoradi Technical University, State Housing Company, has parked concrete mixing trucks on the road without any safety signs to inform the public of ongoing construction works and their associated danger.
Last Saturday, the contractor, at about 10:30 a. m., deployed two concrete mixing trucks for work and in the process, blocked the entire road without informing the municipal assembly and the police to help control traffic.
The road was blocked with stones and metallic objects, instead of a proper barricade with safety signs and diverted traffic.
He mounted the equipment on the pedestrian walkway with no safety officer on site, while pedestrians were allowed to walk under the overhead tube connected to the equipment that was pumping out the concrete.
When contacted, the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service said they were not informed about the intentions of the contractor to block a major road.
Permit required
Explaining the processes required for an intent to block a road, the MTTD said the contractor first had to apply to the assembly, then the assembly would have to direct the letter to the head of municipal or the metropolitan guards.
After that, the police source said, the municipal guard department would detail an officer to the site and assess if the road in question was a major road or not; “then the assembly will liaise with the police to control traffic or deny permit application”.
“Again, if the area in question is a major road, there is a possibility that the application will not be honoured, and looking at the road in question, the contractor did the wrong thing by not seeking permission,” the police source said.
Safety
The police said they expected the contractor to erect safety barriers and create access for pedestrians to freely and safely walk to their destinations.
When contacted, the site engineer, whose name was only given as Augustina, said they only informed the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly verbally.
Asked if they submitted a written application for approval, site inspection, police and permit, she responded, “no, we are sorry – it won't happen again.”
The Public Relations Officer of the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA), Emmanuel Yaw Issah, when contracted said they were not informed of the ongoing works.
He explained that the road in question was a major one and that the contractor should have applied for a permit. He gave an assurance that EKMA would follow up on the issue.
Indeed, checks by the Daily Graphic showed that the blocked road is a major road in the municipality, which has become very important after the commencement of the construction of the Takoradi PTC Interchange.
The construction of the interchange has resulted in the diversion of the road from Tarkwa, entering the metropolis, and fuel tankers from various downstream companies moving towards Ahanta West from the loading bays using that rout.
Inconvenience
Some shop owners were forced to close early as a result of the action of the contractor.
They said “we were not informed; it was even difficult to pick a phone call because of the noise”.
After hours of concrete discharge from a mobile concrete mixer, an equipment of Atlantic Concrete Product, the vehicle just sped off with the mixed concrete spilling onto the street and pedestrian walkways.
It took the effort of some residents to collect and clean up the spilled concrete mixture, which some used to patch the frontage of their homes and potholes on portions of the road.
Society, religion
Another source of worry is that of religious bodies and private developers.
While some religious groups make all the noise and obstruct traffic, developers tip sand onto the roads and bus stops and leave it there for weeks.
It is mostly done by those who are carrying out renovations.
However, according to EKMA, those who wish to deposit large volumes of sand or gravels on the streets cannot do that without permit.
The assembly, the PRO said, would take those engaged in the practice on to bring some level of sanity to the city.
In Effia-Kwesimintsim, various churches carry out their activities late into the night and several reports to the assembly have fallen on deaf ears.
It has been observed that although some of the churches, in the night, have less than five people taking part in worship, they turn on their public address (PA) systems to high levels, thereby disturbing their neighbourhoods.
On hot afternoons, some mount their PA systems along the roads and make all the noise without permit, which the assembly said they were not aware of.
Also, funeral activities are carried to the streets without prior notice to motorists.
The assembly said members of the communities were doing the wrong thing by blocking the roads for social activities but the practice continues unabated.