Street lights on Accra-Tema Motorway vanish after three years

A recent observation revealed that many of the lights and poles, which were put in place in 2021, are now missing, while the few remaining poles are damaged, Daily Graphic reports.

This disappearance has left authorities scrambling for answers, as multiple public institutions involved in the project— including the Ghana Highway Authority, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, and the Ministry of Energy—are pointing fingers at one another instead of providing clarity.

An insider from the Ministry of Energy disclosed that the street lighting system in the country requires regular maintenance, which is currently lacking due to various bottlenecks.

One significant challenge is the confusion among state agencies regarding the ownership of the street lights and responsibility for their maintenance.

While the Ministry of Energy oversaw the construction of the lights, the law mandates that these lights be handed over to local authorities with jurisdiction over the areas where they are installed.

This jurisdictional overlap complicates the situation, as different sections of the motorway fall under various local authorities.

The insider noted that the Ghana Highway Authority has consistently argued that street lights are part of road infrastructure and therefore should fall under its jurisdiction.

“There have been several arguments over who must be responsible for street lights over the years, and we need to come to an agreement on that as a nation,” the source emphasized.

The existing Street Lighting in Ghana Policy Framework (2011) outlines that metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs) are responsible for the development, installation, maintenance, and operation of street lights within their jurisdictions.

However, theft of road infrastructure, including street lights, poses a significant challenge, making it difficult to prevent further losses.

Motorists now face treacherous conditions on the Accra-Tema Motorway at night due to the lack of adequate street lighting, which is essential for ensuring safety on the roads.

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