By Erica Apeatua Addo, GNA
Tarkwa (W/R), March 24, GNA – The Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly (TNMA) in the Western Region has officially opened the “access way” at the Tarkwa main lorry station.
The move by the assembly had already brought some form of joy to drivers, traders, and passengers, as they have complained for years.
Mr Derrick Obeng, the Municipal Urban Roads Engineer, told the Ghana News Agency that, during the construction of the 67-kilometer Agona Nkwanta-Tarkwa road, the median that was created at the Tarkwa main station stretch, failed to provide direct access to drivers entering or exiting the station.
He said they received a request from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) that they should create direct access for transport operators.
He said this would make it easier for those traveling to Accra and beyond because they were not getting a place to turn after loading.
Mr Obeng noted that vehicles with issues were also finding it difficult to climb the Tarkwa post office hill.
He said the request was taken to Mr Ebenezer Cobbinah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tarkwa Nsuaem, because the road was under the supervision of the Ghana Highway Authority, so the MCE officially wrote to them for approval.
He said they brought a team of engineers to assess and identify the areas they could open for the transport operators, and they recommended that five accesses should be created.
“So, currently we have opened accesses to all the ‘outs’ of the station” and now drivers can exit directly after loading without making any U-turn.”
“We have created only one entry. If you are a taxi driver and you want to come to the Takoradi station with passengers, who have goods, now you can turn into the station directly and offload the passengers with their wares,” Mr Obeng explained.
He said an access was created for personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service, to enable them to move out easily and attend to emergencies when the need arose.
He advised pedestrians to use designated crossing areas in the municipality, “saying when the traffic light turns green, that is when you see pedestrians crossing the road. You should wait for your turn when it is red then you can cross the road.”
The MCE called on transport operators to ensure that they utilised the opportunity they had been given well, so they don’t distract the traffic flow at the Tarkwa main lorry station.
Mr Cobbinah assured residents that the assembly would erect road signs at all approved locations as soon as possible because they had drivers from elsewhere using the road.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/ Christabel Addo