Every evening, as the sun sinks behind the busy neighborhoods of Ablekuma and Awoshie, the highway that connects them slowly transforms.
What should be a well-lit, safe road for commuters instead becomes a stretch of uncertainty.
Streetlights stand tall along the highway, but many of them no longer glow. Their poles cast long shadows instead of light. Drivers squint through the darkness, relying on their headlights to navigate potholes, pedestrians, and sudden turns.
Motorcyclists weave carefully through the traffic, hoping that every oncoming driver sees them in time.
Onua News spoke with residents and commuters who use the Ablekuma–Awoshie highway. They raised growing concerns over the increasing number of non-functional streetlights and traffic signals along the busy stretch.
The highway, which serves as a major route connecting several communities in the Ablekuma area to Awoshie and surrounding parts of Accra, has reportedly been experiencing persistent lighting failures, particularly at night. Several streetlights along the road have stopped working, leaving long sections of the highway poorly lit.
Drivers say the lack of proper lighting has made nighttime travel more difficult and potentially dangerous. Motorists often rely solely on vehicle headlights to navigate the road, especially in areas where pedestrian activity is high.
“It becomes very risky after dark,” one commercial driver explained. “Sometimes pedestrians appear suddenly because the streetlights are not working, and it becomes hard to see them early enough.”
Many lives have been lost on this stretch, with major protests organized by residents almost yearly to register their displeasure but all to no avail.
Some of these traffic lights stopped functioning as far back as 2018 and have since not been repaired.
Pedestrians are also feeling the impact. Many people who cross the highway in the evening say the dark conditions make it difficult to judge the speed of approaching vehicles, increasing the risk of accidents.
Local traders operating along the highway have expressed similar worries. Some business owners say the poorly lit environment discourages customers from stopping at night, affecting their sales.
Community members are therefore calling on city authorities and road maintenance agencies to urgently address the issue by repairing the streetlights and restoring the traffic signals.
They argue that as one of the key routes serving the area, the Ablekuma–Awoshie highway requires consistent maintenance to ensure safety of motorists, pedestrians, and businesses operating nearby.
For now, commuters continue to navigate the highway with caution, hoping that the necessary repairs will be carried out soon.
