The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has expressed concern that traffic lights situated directly in front of the National Police Headquarters are not spared from theft.
Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Mr. Agbodza attributed many of the traffic light failures not to technical faults but to deliberate acts of vandalism by individuals who target components of the systems for resale as scrap metal.
“The irony is that even the one — there was one in front of the Police Headquarters — was also stolen,” he stated.
The Minister revealed that Ghana has approximately 415 traffic light installations nationwide, with the majority functioning as intended.
He disclosed that more than 60 percent of traffic lights across the country are currently operational, despite persistent acts of vandalism that continue to undermine road infrastructure.
“We have about 415 traffic lights across the country. About over 60 per cent are working,” he told lawmakers.
According to him, vandals frequently break into traffic light chambers and remove valuable metal parts, rendering the installations inoperative and creating safety risks for motorists and pedestrians.
“Many times when you see the traffic lights not working, it is on many occasions deliberate where people go and vandalise the chambers. Some people actually vandalise the chambers and take the metal components and sell them as scrap metals,” he stated.
The Minister further noted that traffic light infrastructure is also often damaged by vehicles that crash into the installations and leave the scene without taking responsibility for the destruction caused.
“Sometimes vehicles drive into them and then run away, and the value of the vehicles is less than sometimes the value of the things they have damaged,” he added.
Mr. Agbodza described the problem as widespread and called on members of the public to assist authorities in protecting critical road infrastructure by reporting acts of vandalism whenever they occur.
The Roads Minister emphasized that vandalism of traffic management infrastructure places a significant financial burden on the state and affects efforts to improve road safety and traffic flow across the country.
He appealed for stronger public vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement agencies to curb the menace and safeguard public assets.
