Gov’t to sustain contraflow system on congested roads – Local Government Minister

The government has announced plans to make the contraflow traffic system a permanent feature on selected congested roads to improve the movement of commuters during peak hours.

Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, said the decision follows positive public feedback on the recent contraflow trial, which has helped ease congestion and move thousands of commuters more quickly.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series, Mr Ayariga said President John Dramani Mahama had convened a meeting with key stakeholders to determine how the system could be sustained beyond the current trial.

He said the meeting, scheduled for Thursday, October 7, at 1 p.m., would bring together the relevant institutions involved in traffic management and road infrastructure.

“I’ve been reading feedback from most Ghanaians, and whilst they are happy with the contraflow system, the question they ask is, how do we sustain that?” Mr Ayariga said.

According to him, the President wants stakeholders to develop permanent arrangements on the roads that will allow the contraflow system to operate effectively without relying on the temporary measures currently being used.

‘Contraflow has come to stay’

Mr Ayariga gave an assurance that the government was committed to maintaining the system as part of measures to address congestion in Ghana’s major cities.

“I want to assure you that contraflow, as a way of rapid mass movement of commuters within our congested cities, has come to stay, until we have developed other ways of easy mobility in our big cities,” he stated.

The Minister, however, stressed that contraflow would not be considered the country’s ultimate solution to urban transportation challenges.

He said the government was exploring other efficient and convenient mechanisms that could eventually provide more sustainable solutions to congestion.

Mr Ayariga explained that the current contraflow trial had been made possible through collaboration among several government institutions.

He said he worked with the Minister for the Interior, whose support enabled the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service to assist with traffic management.

He also acknowledged the support of the Minister for Roads and the Minister for Transport, as well as the Urban Roads Department.

The system has relied on traffic management personnel to facilitate the reversal of traffic flow during peak periods, particularly to support the movement of commuters using the Ayalolo buses.

Mr Ayariga said the upcoming stakeholder meeting would focus on how to incorporate permanent road features and arrangements that would allow contraflow operations to continue efficiently.

At the end of the discussions, he said, President Mahama would issue directives to guide the various agencies involved.

The Minister said the government’s broader objective was to improve mass transportation and ease the daily burden of commuters in Ghana’s increasingly congested urban centres.