The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Roads and Transport Select Committee and Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru, Osei Nyarko Kennedy, has called for the development of a comprehensive new urban transportation plan for Accra, arguing that the government’s contra-flow initiative is not a sustainable solution to the capital’s worsening traffic congestion.
Mr Kennedy said although measures to ease traffic during peak hours are necessary, the city required a broader and integrated transportation strategy capable of addressing congestion, public transport inefficiencies and the rapid growth in vehicular traffic.
His comments follow the introduction of the government’s contra-flow initiative, a pilot traffic management system launched on September 29, 2026, to provide Aayalolo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses with dedicated priority lanes during peak commuting periods.
The initiative is being implemented by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, in collaboration with the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE) and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), with the stated objective of reducing delays for commuters travelling into Accra’s Central Business District (CBD).
However, Mr Kennedy believes the measure, on its own, cannot resolve the structural transportation challenges facing the capital.
According to the MP, Accra needs a 24-hour integrated traffic management system that can continuously monitor, coordinate and respond to traffic conditions across the metropolitan area.
He argued that traffic management should go beyond interventions introduced only during peak hours and instead rely on an integrated system capable of coordinating traffic signals, public transportation, road use and enforcement.
Such a system, he said, would help authorities identify congestion points early and deploy appropriate measures before traffic conditions deteriorate.
Mr Kennedy also called for the modernisation and expansion of the Bus Rapid Transit system to increase its capacity and improve its effectiveness as a major component of Accra’s public transportation network.
He said a stronger BRT system could provide commuters with a reliable alternative to private vehicles while reducing pressure on major roads.
The MP’s proposal includes improving the existing infrastructure and expanding the network to cover more parts of the capital, particularly areas experiencing persistent congestion.
Mr Kennedy further advocated the construction of additional flyovers, underpasses, service roads and alternative approaches to major routes.
He said Accra’s expanding population and increasing vehicle ownership required corresponding investment in road infrastructure.
According to him, the development of alternative routes would help distribute traffic more evenly instead of concentrating vehicles on a limited number of major roads.
The Akim Swedru MP also identified roadside commercial activities as a significant contributor to congestion and called for stronger controls on activities that obstruct traffic flow.
He proposed measures to regulate commercial activities along major roads and prevent the use of road shoulders and other critical spaces for trading and related activities.
Mr Kennedy said controlling such activities would help improve road capacity and reduce unnecessary bottlenecks.
Another component of his proposed urban transportation strategy is the development of park-and-ride facilities at strategic locations around Accra.
Under the concept, private vehicle owners would be encouraged to leave their cars at designated parking facilities and continue their journeys using regulated public transportation.
Mr Kennedy believes such facilities could reduce the number of private vehicles entering the most congested parts of the capital while giving commuters access to more organised public transport services.
He also called for the full implementation of traffic enforcement measures, stressing that infrastructure improvements alone would not be sufficient to address Accra’s congestion.
He said traffic regulations must be properly enforced to ensure that motorists comply with road-use rules and that measures introduced to improve traffic flow are respected.
Mr Kennedy further proposed a more structured system for managing commercial vehicles, particularly by designating specific locations where their operations or trips would terminate.
He said better management of commercial vehicle movements could reduce unnecessary circulation within congested areas and improve the efficiency of public transportation.
The proposal forms part of his broader call for a regulated urban transport system in which different modes and categories of vehicles operate within clearly defined arrangements.
Beyond road-based transportation, the legislator called for the introduction of alternative mass transportation systems, including trams, particularly in areas and zones of Accra experiencing severe congestion.
He argued that the capital should explore multiple transportation options rather than relying predominantly on road-based systems.
According to him, introducing alternative modes in the most congested areas could provide commuters with additional choices while reducing pressure on the existing road network.
The government’s contra-flow initiative was introduced on September 29, 2026, as a pilot intervention intended to ease peak-hour congestion by giving Aayalolo BRT buses priority lanes.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, led by Minister Mahama Ayariga, together with GAPTE and the MTTD.
It is designed to improve the movement of buses during periods when traffic volumes are particularly high, especially for commuters travelling towards the Accra CBD.
Mr Kennedy, however, argues that the intervention should not be treated as a long-term solution to Accra’s transportation challenges.
His position is that the capital requires a comprehensive urban mobility framework combining infrastructure development, public transportation expansion, traffic enforcement, land-use management and alternative transportation systems.
He maintains that a sustainable solution to Accra’s congestion must therefore address the underlying weaknesses in the city’s transportation system rather than rely primarily on temporary or peak-hour traffic interventions.
By 1960news.com
