The Asokwa-Aputuogya Road, one of the busiest corridors in the Kumasi Metropolis, has turned into a death trap for motorists and pedestrians due to non-functioning traffic lights along the stretch.
A field assessment by JoyNews and Adom News revealed that only 14 out of the 95 traffic lights mounted at eight major intersections along the stretch are functioning.
Francis Mensah reports that the non-functioning traffic lights pose a great road safety risk, with the situation already contributing to the loss of 20 lives at some intersections.
Crossing any section of the Asokwa-Aputuogya road is one not for the faint-hearted.
A sight not missed on the already dark stretch is malfunctioning traffic lights.
Anyone crossing the road here could have used the traffic lights for easy passage, but here the pedestrians stand, sticking their necks out to fight for the right of way on the busy stretch.
When the contractor completed the dualization of the first phase of the Lake Bosomtwe Road from Asokwa to Aputuogya, they erected 95 traffic lights. But over the years, the poles have failed to serve their purpose.
The news team assessed the state of traffic lights along the route.
Out of the total, 14 poles have functioning lamps, representing 14.74% functionality, leaving over 85% of the installations non-operational.
At six critical intersections, namely Dompoase-Aprabong Junction, Fanko Junction, Agogo Hospital Junction, Atonsu High School Junction, Ahinsan Bonsuom, and Ahinsan Filling Station Junction, all traffic lights mounted on poles were non-functional.
Additionally, some of the poles were damaged and had collapsed onto the ground.
At Brewery Junction and from the Kumasi City Mall-KFC Junction to the Asokwa Police Station, the situation was slightly better, with some lights working while others remained non-functional.
Our assessment revealed not a surprising reality, but a situation which underscores the fatalities recorded on the road.
The malfunctioning traffic lights are taking a heavy toll on road safety. The intersections, which are supposed to be controlled, have become free-for-all zones.
Commercial drivers, private motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians all compete for space, leading to severe road hazards, including major vehicle crashes and pedestrian knockdowns.
Drivers, residents and traders along the stretch say the situation has persisted for almost a year now.
Despite several complaints, the faulty lights have not been repaired, raising questions about maintenance and monitoring by the responsible authorities.
Authorities Aware, But No Action
Checks by JoyNews reveal that authorities are not unaware of the looming danger.
In January 2026, the Asokwa Municipal Chief Executive, together with the Municipal Roads Engineer and the Ashanti Regional Urban Roads team, inspected the Atonsu Market to Ahinsan Bonsuom stretch.
It aimed to assess congestion and the state of traffic lights on the Asokwa Interchange–Atonsu corridor.
Despite that high-profile inspection, the lights remain dead.
On March 23, 2026, the situation worsened when the area experienced a significant traffic jam that left motorists stranded for hours.
In a dramatic scene, the Municipal Chief Executive for Asokwa, Amoh Kamel, had to take matters into his own hands, personally directing traffic to ease the heavy congestion on the same stretch.
The intervention, while praised by motorists, highlighted the failure of the automated system meant to do exactly that job.
Some residents and road users who ply the stretch expressed frustration, saying accidents have increased along the road.
“This place is very dangerous. I have personally witnessed many accidents here, involving cars, motorcycles, tricycles and trucks almost every week. Some victims have lost their lives while others sustained injuries,” lamented Fustian Osei, a trader at the Ahinsan Filling Station Junction.
“We struggle to cross the road, especially the schoolchildren. Since the traffic lights are not working, drivers and riders do not stop for us. You have to look left, right and centre before crossing, otherwise you could be knocked down,” a pedestrian at Ahinsan Bonsuom said.
Drivers who ply the Aputuogya-Asokwa route daily say near-misses and crashes have become common at these junctions, especially at the Dompoase-Aprabong Junction.
“There is a slope at the Dompoase-Aprabong Junction and many heavy-duty trucks use this stretch. So, when a truck is descending the slope and gets to the intersection, and vehicles from the other side fail to stop to allow it to pass, it sometimes loses its brakes and rolls backwards, which often leads to accidents,” a driver explained.
The Assembly Member for the Atonsu Electoral Area, Francis Asare Sarfo, disclosed that the Oforikrom Municipal Assembly is aware of the non-functioning traffic lights.
According to him, the delay in fixing the faulty signals is due to the fact that the road has not yet been officially handed over to the Assembly by the contractor upon completion.
Deaths at traffic intersections
The role of traffic lights in controlling the flow of vehicles and coordinating pedestrian crossing at intersections is to prevent accidents and reduce congestion.
Available data on road crashes in Greater Kumasi from the Building and Road Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-BRRI) shows that a significant number of accidents occur at intersections.
According to the Location Type by Crash Severity report, a total of 408 crashes were recorded at intersections in 2024.
A breakdown shows that 20 of the crashes were fatal, 172 victims sustained serious injuries, and 216 escaped the carnage with lacerations.
The Deputy Director of the CSIR-BRRI, Prof. Williams Ackaah, says non-functional traffic lights along the Asokwa-Lake Road expose motorists and pedestrians to high risk at intersections.
“Look at the number of traffic lights that are not functioning. That’s not good. It means we are not getting the benefits we are supposed to get from the traffic lights. This can result in road crashes and road congestion,” he said
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has confirmed that most traffic lights along the corridor are non-functional, highlighting its attendant consequences.
According to the Ashanti Regional Director of the Authority, Kwasi Agyenim Boateng, an audit of the road has been conducted and a report on the faulty traffic lights submitted to the Department of Urban Roads.
He admitted that any casualties or accidents recorded at intersections where the lights are not functioning should be blamed on the authorities responsible for ensuring the lights are operational.
“Most of the traffic lights on that stretch are not working, and as road users, we must acknowledge it. As the road safety authority, we have reported the issue to Urban Roads, which is the responsible agency. Its director has assured us that efforts are underway to get the contractor back on site to fix the lights,” Mr. Boateng admitted
Deliberate Turn off?
While some link the faulty traffic lights to mechanical failures, others suspect that lights at certain intersections have been deliberately turned off to ease traffic flow and reduce congestion.
“We have been informed that some of the non-functional traffic lights were not faulty but were intentionally switched off. According to our sources, this decision was taken because the lights were contributing to heavy vehicular congestion on that stretch, rather than easing traffic flow,” a resident, Adom Helena said
The Ashanti Regional Director of Urban Roads, Ing. Naeem Iddrisu, attributed the non-functioning of many traffic lights to mechanical faults but also admitted that some had been deliberately switched off because they were not communicating effectively with the rest of the lights.
“Indeed, some traffic lights were deliberately switched off. For instance, the one at the Coca-Cola/Atonsu Market was in good working condition, but it was deactivated around 2003/2004 because it was not synchronizing effectively with the other traffic lights”
Prof. Ackaah expressed deep concern over reasons that may account for the deliberate switching off of the lights.
According to him, some of the traffic lights along the stretch have improper signal timings which, instead of improving traffic flow, worsen congestion, compelling traffic officers to switch them off for manual control.
He warned that regardless of the justification, turning off traffic lights without effective alternative control measures heightens the risk of crashes, particularly for pedestrians and motorcyclists.
Contractor yet to hand over road project
Assembly Member for the Atonsu Electoral Area, Francis Asare Sarfo explained that until the formal handover is done, maintenance, including repairs of traffic lights, remains the responsibility of the contractor.
Mr. Asare Sarfo further revealed that the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) has held several engagements with both the project consultant and the contractor to ensure the defect is rectified, but the issue persists.
Meanwhile, Urban Roads blamed the situation on a combination of factors, including erratic power supply, vandalism, and the theft of cables and other essential components of the traffic lights.
Ing. Naeem Iddrisu explained that after the contractor completed construction and moved into the maintenance phase, it was discovered that a significant number of cables from the controllers had been stolen, rendering the lights inoperative.
“The challenge has been that after the contractor finished the construction and started the maintenance phase, we realized that many of the cables in the controller had been stolen. We have different types of traffic lights – largely two types. We have solar traffic lights; those don’t need a major controller. But those fed by ECG or the national grid, like the one that was stolen, normally require a controller to regulate them”
Prof. Ackaah therefore urged residents and road users to remain vigilant and assist in safeguarding the traffic lights against theft. He further advocated for the deployment of technology to enhance monitoring of the installations.
But until the contractor officially hands over the project, how are authorities protecting lives on the road?
The MTTD and road safety authority say they deploy officers to intersections where the traffic lights are not working daily.
“We have therefore deployed MTTD officers and road safety campaigners to these intersections where the traffic lights are not functioning, and they are there on a daily basis to manage traffic flow and ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians,” the NRSA director said.
But our checks revealed a rather opposite account. From both ends of the road, no officer was sighted on the ground when we visited both at night and during the day.
Residents want the traffic light fixed soon
The Ashanti Regional Director of Urban Roads, Ing. Naeem Iddrisu, disclosed that arrangements are being made by the government to compensate the contractor for the stolen cables and vandalized components to enable him to return and restore the traffic lights.
However, the contractor has yet to agree to the terms and has not provided a definite timeline for completing the repairs.
“I have consulted the contractor, and he keeps giving me assurances that he will come, yet he has failed to provide me with a timeline to return to site to fix the traffic lights for us. So, I am still engaging him on the issue.”
Road users are calling on the Department of Urban Roads, the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Asokwa Municipal Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, rehabilitate all faulty traffic signals and put in place a regular maintenance plan for the corridor.
From the Kumasi City Mall-KFC Junction to Dompoase-Aprabong Junction, ninety-five poles stand, but 85 percent are without functional bulbs. What is left is the will to fix them.
But must it cost lives before authorities fix the lights? Pedestrians and motorists await the red, gold, and green bright colours on the stretch.
End