WA NEEDS MORE TRAFFIC LIGHTS (PAGE 20)

WA, the capital of the Upper West Region, is gradually expanding as a result of recent infrastructural development in the municipality.
However, one area of concern is the issue of traffic lights. Readers would be surprised to know that the regional capital has only one traffic light, which is located at the centre of the town.
Even then, motorists have to be extra careful in order not to knock down cyclists and motorbike riders who compete vigorously with vehicles when passing through the traffic lights.
The situation has raised a lot of concerns in the municipality, as people continue to ask what the Department of Urban Roads was doing to provide traffic lights at some dangerous intersections of the town.
The intersections, including the Golden Key, the Kaleo route, Hospital, Stadium and Kambali Junctions are so dangerous that one needs to be more cautious not to maim or kill riders.
Motorists and cyclists equally think that they have the right of way just as other users of the road and would in their own way interpret the law to suit them.
While you think that you have the right of way to negotiate and expect that a rider would stop for you, it is the other way round.
A taxi driver, Haruna Musah, complained that the absence of more traffic lights in Wa was a contributory factor to many road accidents at the intersections.
He said although the police was doing well to direct traffic at those intersections, their irregular presence was a source of worry to drivers.
“Mr Musah stressed that “on market days, one needs to be dextrous and more alert, else the one can cause mayhem.”
He, therefore, appealed to the Department of Urban Roads to erect traffic lights at the various intersections.
Furthermore, Mr Musah implored the Environmental Health Unit of the Wa Municipal Assembly to tackle the issue of stray animals on the roads in the municipality since they also cause accidents.
Reacting to the concerns raised, the Municipal Roads Engineer, Mr Michael Dzisi, said plans were far advanced to provide traffic lights at those intersections.
He, however, stated that the availability of funds for the project would determine when the lights would be provided.