DON'T BLOCK ROADS FOR FUNERALS, PARTIES (PAGE 29)

One of the disturbing development in the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi is the blocking of roads for funerals, parties and other activities without permission.
The sad aspect of the situation is that road users drive with the hope of getting to their destinations on time only to be forced to make a detour because the road has been blocked for a funeral or party.
Ghanaians have time for their parties, and revere their dead. They block this road for more than three to four days without any notice to prompt the metropolitan authorities or security agents to redirect traffic.
They only use blocks, tables and benches to block the roads and then proceed with their activities and care little about the implications of their actions.
Interestingly, the roads are not for parties and funerals and if any group of people should decide to give a fitting farewell to their dead, it would have been more appropriate to make use of school parks.
Those who are interested in organising parties can also move to the beautiful beaches within the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis.
When contacted, the Public Relations Directorate of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly said those who had the intention of blocking streets needed to obtain permit from the Assembly to do so.
Mr Eric Sam, who is in charge of the Takoradi sub-metro told the Daily Graphic that their biggest challenge was the attitude of the people.
He said their challenge was people obeying the rules by reporting to the various offices of the Assembly for advice on what to do. “It is wrong for people on their own to do what they think is right and expect everybody to be all right and abide by it.”
He said those who even reported to the offices of the assembly for permit had to make sure that they provided signposts to redirect traffic “but what we have realised is that they come and pay and don’t comply with the directives; therefore creating a lot of troubles for everybody”.
Asked what the sub-metro is doing to arrest the situation, Mr Sam said at present they were trying to engage the services of the metro guards to do follow-up to the premises of the people and monitor the people who block roads without permission.