| A traffic jam and a non-functioning traffic light at an intersection in Accra, when they occur on any of the notorious roads or streets, can be stressful moments for the city’s motorists, more so for those still learning the ropes of driving. |
This scenario has become a feature of the city these days, providing a source of livelihood for many youth who organize themselves to direct traffic at such points, and pointing at their mouths and muttering the words “coins for water.”
More than half of the traffic lights in the city these days do not work, and motorists, when those unemployed boys are not around nor the Community Police personnel, manouvre on their own to find their way.
No wonder one spots broken rear lights scattered like broken China at some of these points, the result of non-functioning traffic lights and zero tolerance for patience.
There is however one traffic light, which though intended for pedestrian use, is perpetually functioning, rain or shine, load-shedding or not.
Situated a little distance away from the Kanda end of the King Tackie Tawiah Overpass, it assists 441 residents to cross to Kanda Estates which sprawl directly across the road and back to place of residence. To be precise, it is the first after the turning to Kanda Estates as one descends the Overpass.
A man who sells opposite the pedestrian traffic lights told DAILY GUIDE that “it rarely breaks down. On the few occasions that it has stopped working, I only had to make a phone call to a certain Mr. Leo who dashes to the place to fix it.”
The other problem that occurs is the unnecessary fidgeting with the button which allows pedestrians to stop oncoming vehicles. “As you can see, it is spoilt but the light is working alright, stopping oncoming vehicles and allowing pedestrians to cross alternatively,” he said.
So what is the secret behind this perpetual traffic light?
According to Mr. Leo Casely-Hayford, Chief Executive Officer of the Signal & Controls Limited, located in Adabraka, Accra, “the whole component was imported and installed on a trial basis four years ago.”
The system, he said, has never encountered any hitch but as to why it has not been replicated throughout the city, he said “it has to do with funding. But I advise that you contact the Department of Urban Roads as I think there are plans towards that direction.”
He was upbeat about replicating it throughout the city as he stressed that “with money, you can achieve a lot of things.”
Mr. Bernard Odoi Asare, an electrical engineer, attributed the anomaly to a number of factors.
He pointed at what he described as weak circuit boards, explaining that because these control the interchanges, the efficiency of the system would be affected.
The engineer pointed at another factor which he said is the unreliability of the bulbs used for the system. They easily die off and so, as he put it, “routine maintenance must be undertaken to ensure that they are functioning.”
Another factor, he said, is that in some areas, the stabilizer from the main input supply is not reliable because of power fluctuations.
The anomaly, he noted, is aggravated during the rainy season because water seeps into the control panels which are sited normally on the side of the roads.
On the solution to the anomalies, he said there is the need to rely on Light Emitted Diodide (LED), based on a solar power supply.
He disclosed that the Kanda perpetual traffic light depends on a solar power supply and the LED bulb, “that is why it is so efficient and keeps working.”
Until something is done about the erratic efficiency of the traffic lights, motorists and pedestrians alike would suffer from the fallouts.
For the unemployed youth hanging around, an efficient traffic control system would spell doom for their source of livelihood.
On a good day, the Media learnt some of these youth make over GH¢15.
A replication of the Kanda system throughout Accra would not be a bad idea at all, considering the related inconveniences.
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