Editorial: Neglect of Nsawam Road is eroding productivity

The recent resumption of work on the Pokuase-Nsawam and Ofankor-Nsawam stretches of highway is welcome. Yet it is also a stark reminder of the years of neglect which made one of the nation’s most important transport corridors a daily ordeal for commuters.

Nsawam Road is more than just a road, it is the gateway between Accra and Eastern, Ashanti Regions and northern parts of the country. Its poor state has long imposed heavy costs on the economy and wellbeing of citizens.

The toll of this neglect is visible as endless traffic gridlocks force thousands of workers to spend hours in vehicles each day, reducing productivity before they even reach their workplaces. Transport costs rise as vehicles experience faster wear and tear on uneven surfaces. Emergency services to those areas are delayed and petty traders who depend on roadside traffic operate in unsafe and chaotic conditions.

For many, the road is not just inconvenient but dangerous – with accidents frequent during both the rainy season and peak traffic hours.

That it took public threats of demonstrations to compel contractors back to site reflects a deeper problem of governance. Should critical infrastructure have to depend on civic agitation before funds are released and contractors mobilised? The disbursement of GH¢809million this month to revive construction showcases both the scale of resources already committed and risks of project abandonment when political will falters.

Ghana simply cannot afford such inefficiency. An economy seeking recovery and competitiveness cannot be shackled by a major arterial road that functions as a bottleneck. Nsawam Road should be a facilitator of trade, connecting cocoa-growing regions, manufacturing hubs and food-producing areas to the capital. Instead, it has become a choke-point that drains time, fuel and morale.

The way forward demands more than piecemeal repairs. Transparent timelines, strict enforcement of contracts and continuous monitoring must guide the rehabilitation. Above all, government must treat the welfare of commuters and nation’s productivity as priorities… not afterthoughts.

Don’t Ghanaians deserve roads that enable them to work, trade and live with dignity, instead of daily punishment on a neglected highway?

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