Ghana risks turning its new, high-speed highways into congested town roads if it does not enforce strict building rules. The government's ambitious Big Push infrastructure program aims to build and improve major roads across the country. These projects include the Accra–Kumasi Expressway and the Eastern Corridor Road. Without careful planning, communities could build too close to these roads. This has been a problem in other developing countries. Roads meant for fast travel become slow and crowded.
The main reason for this concern is the danger to people and traffic flow. When houses, shops, and fuel stations are built right next to highways, traffic constantly stops. This causes delays. Journeys that should take two hours can stretch to four or five. More importantly, it creates dangerous situations for pedestrians. People crossing busy roads to get to homes, markets, or bus stops face serious risks. Children crossing to school are also in danger. Many serious accidents happen because roads are not planned as protected corridors for fast movement. Instead, they become mixed-use areas.
This situation highlights a broader economic and planning challenge for Ghana. The country has invested heavily in infrastructure as a driver of economic growth. However, past projects have sometimes suffered from poor spatial planning. The goal of improving trade and national integration through better roads can be undermined if the roads themselves become inefficient. For example, the Eastern Corridor Road is vital for connecting the north and south. If it becomes a congested local road, its economic benefits will be greatly reduced. Effective land use regulation must match the scale of road construction. This is crucial for long-term development goals.
Experts emphasize the need for proactive measures. "Across much of the world, major highways are protected corridors. Communities are deliberately prevented from building directly onto them," states an analysis of the situation. "Access is controlled through exits, interchanges, service roads, and bypass systems." This principle of keeping highways separate from settlements is key. Ghana's District Assemblies, physical planning authorities, and the Ministry of Roads and Highways, along with traditional leaders, must collaborate. They need to enforce rules like setbacks, which are minimum distances from the road where building is not allowed. Political convenience should not lead to relaxing these essential rules.
The implications of failing to act are significant. If building continues unchecked along these new highways, Ghana will face greater traffic jams. There will be more pedestrian deaths and more disorder along the roadsides. Eventually, the country may need to spend billions more to fix problems that could have been prevented. The true success of the Big Push program will be measured not just by the kilometres of road built, but by how well these corridors are protected for the future. These decisions will determine if the roads remain efficient arteries or become bottlenecks.