CONGESTION IN TWIN-CITY (MIRROR, NOV 28, PAGE 34)

From Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi

Prices of houses and rental accommodation, as well as demand for expansion in social infrastructure have shot up drastically in the twin city of Sekondi-Takoradi, following the discovery of oil in the Western Region.
While there has been an increase in population, the same cannot be said of infrastructure including housing, markets, road networks and the supply of water, electricity, among others.
Rent charges have soared with landlords charging fees in dollars.
Some residents have accused the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly of not showing any interest in controlling the escalating cost of living that was estimated to have unpredictable repercussions for the people.
Since the discovery of oil in June 2007, there has been a boom in economic activities and a swell in population in the twin-city.
Many corporate institutions, which hitherto were domiciled exclusively in Accra, Kumasi or Tema, are all now craving to secure a place in the metropolis.
These developments have increased the demand for water, electricity and other social services.The city, which some few years ago was without traffic congestion, is currently experiencing serious traffic throughout the day. Under the circumstances, hawkers have taken over half of the central business district, doing rigorous business, with vehicles making use of any available space as a parking lot.
Interestingly, City Guards of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly whose duty it was to enforce law and order, have turned restricted and prohibited parking areas into car parks and collect tolls from drivers.
When The Mirror caught up with some city guards, they explained that their job was to impose fines and collect tolls, not to direct the people how to park.
“Once they manage to park, ours is to collect money. In fact, the city guard is supposed to ensure that people did the right thing,” one of them said.
Sellers of “Fanti-Dokunu” a traditional food of Fantis and fish sellers, as well as black marketers who deal in all sorts of currencies have also taken over street pavements, especially those around the market circle, forcing pedestrians and visitors to the market, shops, and the financial institutions around the Central Business District to share the street with motorists.