Heavy rains in the early hours of Tuesday have once again triggered recurring flooding and silt build-up along the Accra–Takoradi Highway.
The situation was particularly severe around the Weija SCC–Atala stretch, where the flooding caused heavy traffic congestion and significant inconvenience for commuters.
Sections of the highway were submerged, while thick layers of silt were deposited across the road. Several vehicles were left stranded, with traffic reduced to a slow crawl as motorists struggled to navigate the affected stretch.
Commuters who would normally spend about five minutes on the stretch were instead forced into journeys lasting more than two hours.
The situation worsened after both the eastbound and Accra-bound lanes became impassable, pushing motorists onto the westbound carriageway and creating heavy congestion. Traffic quickly built up into long, bumper-to-bumper queues stretching over five kilometres.
JoyNews reporter Maxwell Agbagba, who visited the scene, observed several vehicles trapped in silt as drivers struggled to navigate the flooded section of the road.
“One vehicle has been stuck in the silt for more than an hour as efforts are underway to get assistance to move it. The flooding has created massive congestion, with queues stretching over five kilometres. What is normally a five-minute drive has now become a journey of more than two hours,” he reported.
According to him, nearly a kilometre of the eastbound section of the highway was submerged, with floodwater and debris rendering the road virtually impassable.
“The eastbound and Accra-bound lanes have been completely blocked, forcing vehicles to merge onto the westbound side. This has created chaotic scenes along the stretch,” he explained.
The latest flooding has renewed concerns about the recurring nature of floods along the Weija corridor, as well as questions over the effectiveness of ongoing long-term drainage interventions in the area.
A motorist, identified only as Prince, appealed to government to expedite the release of funds to complete the project and ease the persistent traffic challenges.
He explained that although sections of the drainage project around Barrier, Atala and the SCC area have been completed, significant portions of the work are still outstanding.
“The new drains that have been completed are functioning properly, but a large part of the project is yet to be done. By the time floodwater reaches the completed sections, it has already caused damage because several kilometres of drainage are still under construction,” he said.
He urged the public not to blame contractors for the flooding, stressing that work on the project is still ongoing.
Meanwhile, motorists caught in the resulting traffic gridlock expressed frustration as vehicles remained stuck for hours.
By Tuesday morning, long queues had formed on both ends of the affected stretch, with traffic stretching far beyond visible points, underscoring the severity of the disruption caused by the flooding.