TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE SAFETY DEVICES ...Maintain them (PAGE 29)

Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale

TRAFFIC lights are signals on roads that direct, guide and ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians. As such the consequences of the unavailability of traffic lights at major road intersections are clear: confusions and accidents.
The intermittent break down of traffic lights in the Tamale metropolis has therefore become a source of worry to many residents and motorists alike.
At the moment, traffic lights at the Central Mosque and Standchart Bank intersections have been out of order for several months now, thereby resulting in confusions and accidents, particularly in the peak hours of mornings and evenings.
Those that are currently functioning also suffer intermittent break downs every now and then thereby creating disorder.
Sometimes, the bulbs get fused for days without replacement an act which confuses motorists the more. In all, there are six traffic lights in the metropolis.
During such periods, the community protection unit and the Police MTTU personnel sometimes direct traffic especially during the peak hours.
The unfortunate thing however is that, even though they have often performed up to the task, they are not regular .
According to the Tamale Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director, Alhaji Mohammed Adam Baba, two additional traffic lights would soon be installed at the Jisonayili and the Warders Canteen intersections to ensure sanity in those areas.
On the dysfunctional ones, Alhaji Baba explained that, most of the components of the system were not readily available on the open market in the country.
‘‘Infact most of it have to be imported upon request. At the moment we have made the requests and are only waiting for the arrival of those components and its subsequent re-installation,’’ he intimated.
Some residents and motorists have however expressed concern over the frequent breakdown of the traffic lights and have appealed to the assembly to constantly monitor the system to ensure that they do not become white elephants.
‘‘At least, if it would take them time to repair the faulty ones, the assembly could allow the city guards to go on shift in the mornings and evenings to direct traffic where need be,’’ Abukari Yakubu, a cabbie, also admonished.