Drivers, riders, and traders in Techiman Market are urging the Assembly to expedite the construction of a relief road linking the market to ease congestion on the main market road. According to them, the major road linking the market to the communities is always overcrowded, especially on Thursdays and Fridays, disrupting traffic flow, causing delays, and resulting in a loss of income.
The Central Business District of Techiman is situated in the heart of the Bono East Region of Ghana, and is one of the largest and busiest traditional trading hubs in West Africa, attracting traders from across Ghana and neighboring countries, including Togo, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria.
The market serves as a central hub for food security in the region and the nation at large, operating heavily from Wednesday to Friday, with peak activity on Fridays. Due to its bustling nature especially on its peak days, traders, drivers, riders, and commuters often battle with congestion disrupting traffic flow.
Speaking to Pragya riders who often use this section of the road, they said the congestion causes delay and reduces their daily income. “We go through a lot of struggles on Thursdays and Fridays, because the road is too small, disrupting traffic flow”
Okada, or Pragya is one means of transportation for traders and locals, riders say they have no designated station forcing them to load passengers and occupy major portions of the road, coupled with traders operating on the same stretch exacerbating the congestion situation.
“The congestion on peak days is due to traders operating on the road, we also don’t have a station in the market forcing us to occupy portions of the road but we have given space for movement, however, we are still suffering” they said.
Traders operating from home also raised similar concerns stressing that they often spend close to an hour on the road when transporting goods from the market to home disrupting their businesses since they are unable to catch up with customers waiting to patronise them. They add “we often spend an hour on the road meanwhile the Okada is fully loaded but can’t move affecting our businesses at home”.
Despite the assistance of the police in directing traffic at major roads in the market where there are no traffic lights, traders, drivers, and riders asserted is not enough. They are therefore urging the Assembly to expedite the construction of a relief road linking the market to ease congestion and speed up business.
They said “there is another road at Melcom I heard the MCE wants to work on it, but we haven’t seen anything yet, we are pleading with him to expedite the construction of that road to speed up business”.
As the most preferred means of transportation for local, passenger, and Pragya riders are calling for a convenient station for their operation.
Leave a Comment