Motorists and commuters using the SCC–Old Barrier stretch of the Kasoa–Mallam Highway are calling on the government to urgently rehabilitate the road, particularly the section in front of Atala Company, as its deteriorating condition continues to cause severe traffic congestion and pose serious safety risks.
Road users say the stretch has been neglected despite its strategic importance, with extensive potholes, damaged sections of the carriageway and persistent flooding reducing what was once a three-lane road to a single usable lane in several areas.
The situation has been worsened by wastewater flowing onto the road from the Bortianor and Red Top communities after a major drainage channel in front of Noble House became clogged with silt.
The continuous flow of wastewater has further weakened the road surface, creating deep potholes and waterlogged sections that force motorists to slow down significantly or come to a complete stop while carefully navigating the damaged portions.
The resulting bottleneck has led to long traffic queues, with commuters spending several hours on a stretch that previously took only a few minutes to cross.
According to some road users, a section that normally takes less than two minutes to drive through now takes more than 40 minutes during peak periods.
The deteriorating condition of the road has also created dangerous driving conditions. Vehicles travelling from Kasoa towards Mallam are often forced to move onto the opposite lane to avoid the badly damaged section near Atala Company, exposing motorists to the risk of head-on collisions with oncoming vehicles.
Commercial drivers say the worsening state of the road is affecting their livelihoods.
Kwame Amissah, a trotro driver who uses the stretch daily, appealed to the government to urgently intervene.
“The government should come and repair this road as soon as possible. We spend hours stuck in traffic every day because of this stretch, and it is reducing the number of trips we can make. It is seriously affecting our daily income,” he told Citi Newsroom.
For many commuters, the daily gridlock has become physically and emotionally exhausting.
Joana, a banker who travels through the area every day, said the traffic situation had become unbearable and was affecting her work and personal life.
“I spend several hours in traffic almost every day. It is affecting my work and my personal life, and I am even thinking about relocating until this road is fixed,” she said.
Akua, a military officer who works at the 37 Military Hospital, said she has had to significantly adjust her daily routine because of the congestion.
She said she now leaves home as early as 4:00 a.m. to arrive at work by 6:00 a.m., describing the situation as unsustainable.
The commuters are appealing to the Ministry of Roads and Highways and other relevant authorities to urgently rehabilitate the SCC–Old Barrier stretch and address the drainage challenges contributing to the rapid deterioration of the road before the situation worsens.
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