Greater Accra has over the years been a region plagued with notoriously uncanny and disheartening darkness to the chagrin of its residents. A situation that fuels countless complaints from motorists and pedestrians alike who suffer the life threatening disadvantages of the dark.
Dark highways, streets, stations, and certain residential areas have been characteristic of the region and have left many to wonder if the root causes of this canker were impossible to tackle.
Suffice to say the failure of the former administration to break ground on the matter until it left office cast a shadow of doubt on the possibility of Accra ever shining again.
However, the new minister for the Greater Accra region, Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo has assured the general public that 70 percent of, “if not all”, the streetlights in Accra will be fixed within the next 50 days of her tenure in office.
Having assumed office recently, taking over from Hon. Titus Nii Glover, the Shai Osoduku Member of Parliament, in a press conference, outlined her plans for the region and its future and they seem to be resonating with the people.
‘”Within 50 days in office, all these things should be fixed. Not even all but we’ll make sure that at least 70 percent of it will be fixed”
Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, Greater Accra Regional Minister
To the residents of the region, the solution to this persistent problem was so simple the delay in making it manifest was mind boggling.
Many have in recent times questioned political leaders’ nonchalant attitude in addressing the challenges confronting the region with some decrying the sheer lack of response on the part of leaders.
The main concerns of Greater Accra’s poor lighting has been security and safety with regards to life and property at night.
It’s no secret that many of the varied road accidents, armed robberies, petty theft, and killings among many other vices which not only cost the city and region lives and property but potential investors, are as a direct result of its poor lighting.
This truth in the hearts and minds of every confused resident of the region and citizens of the country at large, would ensure great relief at the assurances of the new regional minister.
Her determination to properly light up the region; to achieve 70 percent of this within 50 days’ time is not only welcoming but timely as it would bring great relief to everyone. The public is expected to receive this news with great rejoicing.
Hawkers, Floods & Pollutions
That notwithstanding, the ills that bring Greater Accra to its knees go beyond the crippling darkness in several parts and extend to issues like illegal hawkers, streetism, poor sanitation and drainage issues which cause flooding whenever it rains, amongst many countless others.
Within the same breath, Hon Linda Ocloo promised sustained radical law-backed efforts to drive away illegal street hawkers who take major parts of the roads and other unideal spots to market their wares.
She hinted at joining hands with the task force of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDA’s) and the security services to achieve results never before realized in this fight.
Of the annual floods that Accra is prone to, she mentioned plans of liaising with the stakeholders of the 2019 launched Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) project, to fast track the implementation of its plans to curb flooding, by specifically working on the drainage around the Odo river basin.
She also charged the MMDAs to check inappropriate building practices by ensuring that people who come for permits are given proper guidelines to ensure they do not put up structures that worsen the flooding challenges of the region.
“If we’re able to do this, my dear trust me, flooding issues within Greater Accra, even Ghana as a whole would reduce”, she assured, asserting that the next rainy season would be different for the residents of Accra, all things considered.
She further expressed her intention to meet the sanitation service providers in Accra to see how best an end can be brought to pollution in the region too, clearly another step towards restoring the Greater Accra region to its former self.
Whether or not the promise of the new regional minister can be achieved remains to be seen.
However, if her dedication to light up her constituency, Shai Osu-Doku, as evidenced in her annual donation of streetlights to its District Assembly are to go by, then Accra is truly only days away from regaining its shine, literally, and hopefully with it, everything it had lost to the darkness.
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