Traffic on Achimota road reduced
VEHICULAR traffic on the Achimota stretch of the Accra-Nsawam road has reduced drastically following the opening of the Achimota Transport Terminal.
All the hustle and bustle of the area, which was characterised by the trotros and the taxis using the shoulders of the road as a parking lot as well as the hawkers jamming the vicinity with their wares, had all disappeared.
When the Daily Graphic visited the terminal, it was in full operation, with drivers and passengers alike praising the new facility.
The general filth that engulfs many lorry parks in the country was also absent; cleaners and drivers were seen picking up pure water sachets and other materials dropped by passengers.
Food vendors and hawkers were, however, present in their numbers at the entrance of the park, which was surrounded by pure water sachets, polythene bags, all flying around.
A Driver, Mr Kwadjo Frimpong, told the Daily Graphic that work at the station was very smooth, adding that he was even surprised passengers were trooping to the new park, despite the distance from the main Accra-Nsawam road.
“I’m very impressed with the canteen, because the food is affordable and the environment very hygienic, unlike at the old station, where food was prepared and sold in the filth,” he added.
A passenger, Miss Valerie Asare, expressed satisfaction with the park, saying she was very impressed with the clean environment and the general discipline prevailing, which was a departure from the noisy and rowdy nature of the old lorry park.
She said the new facility would help prevent situations where passengers had to spend long hours by the road side during rush hours and sometimes fight over vehicles.
Another passenger, Mr Daniel Fobi, said his only problem with the park was its location, because he had to walk a long distance to get there, since the drivers were prevented from picking up passengers at the old park.
He, however, expressed satisfaction with the atmosphere at the park, stating that ”if all other lorry parks in the country could be like this, then our lorry parks would be places to enjoy and not places engulfed in filth.”
When contacted, the Administrative Manager of the park, Nana Tufour Antwi, told the Daily Graphic that the decision not to allow food vendors and hawkers into the park was mainly to prevent it from being littered as was the case at other lorry parks across the country.
He said management had ensured that the park was kept clean at all times, adding that it had ensured that two separate teams of cleaners work around the clock in shifts during the station’s peak hours.
He said a task force, comprising the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU ) of the Tesano Police Station, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the local drivers union, was to prevent recalcitrant trotro and taxi drivers from using the shoulders of the road as car loading points.
He said the facility provided 24-hour security services, noting that the facility had not recorded any crime, since it was opened three weeks ago.
This was confirmed by the Station Officer of the Achimota Terminal Police Station, Chief Inspector Comfort Yehwe.
According to her, the station had not received any complaint ever since it started operating.
Meanwhile, when the Daily Graphic visited the park’s clinic, it was not in operation.
All the hustle and bustle of the area, which was characterised by the trotros and the taxis using the shoulders of the road as a parking lot as well as the hawkers jamming the vicinity with their wares, had all disappeared.
When the Daily Graphic visited the terminal, it was in full operation, with drivers and passengers alike praising the new facility.
The general filth that engulfs many lorry parks in the country was also absent; cleaners and drivers were seen picking up pure water sachets and other materials dropped by passengers.
Food vendors and hawkers were, however, present in their numbers at the entrance of the park, which was surrounded by pure water sachets, polythene bags, all flying around.
A Driver, Mr Kwadjo Frimpong, told the Daily Graphic that work at the station was very smooth, adding that he was even surprised passengers were trooping to the new park, despite the distance from the main Accra-Nsawam road.
“I’m very impressed with the canteen, because the food is affordable and the environment very hygienic, unlike at the old station, where food was prepared and sold in the filth,” he added.
A passenger, Miss Valerie Asare, expressed satisfaction with the park, saying she was very impressed with the clean environment and the general discipline prevailing, which was a departure from the noisy and rowdy nature of the old lorry park.
She said the new facility would help prevent situations where passengers had to spend long hours by the road side during rush hours and sometimes fight over vehicles.
Another passenger, Mr Daniel Fobi, said his only problem with the park was its location, because he had to walk a long distance to get there, since the drivers were prevented from picking up passengers at the old park.
He, however, expressed satisfaction with the atmosphere at the park, stating that ”if all other lorry parks in the country could be like this, then our lorry parks would be places to enjoy and not places engulfed in filth.”
When contacted, the Administrative Manager of the park, Nana Tufour Antwi, told the Daily Graphic that the decision not to allow food vendors and hawkers into the park was mainly to prevent it from being littered as was the case at other lorry parks across the country.
He said management had ensured that the park was kept clean at all times, adding that it had ensured that two separate teams of cleaners work around the clock in shifts during the station’s peak hours.
He said a task force, comprising the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU ) of the Tesano Police Station, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the local drivers union, was to prevent recalcitrant trotro and taxi drivers from using the shoulders of the road as car loading points.
He said the facility provided 24-hour security services, noting that the facility had not recorded any crime, since it was opened three weeks ago.
This was confirmed by the Station Officer of the Achimota Terminal Police Station, Chief Inspector Comfort Yehwe.
According to her, the station had not received any complaint ever since it started operating.
Meanwhile, when the Daily Graphic visited the park’s clinic, it was not in operation.
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