Nearly all the streetlights installed along the 19-kilometre Accra-Tema Motorway have vanished just three years after their installation.
A recent investigation by the Daily Graphic revealed that most of the lights and poles, put up in 2021, are now missing, with the few still standing showing signs of damage.
The sudden disappearance has left officials scrambling for explanations. Despite several public bodies being involved in the project, none could account for the missing infrastructure, as the Ghana Highway Authority, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, and the Ministry of Energy appear to be passing blame.
A source within the Ministry of Energy informed the Daily Graphic that the country’s street lighting system is plagued by ongoing maintenance issues, which are currently not being addressed due to multiple challenges.
The key issue, according to the source, is confusion among state agencies over ownership and responsibility for maintaining street lights. For the motorway lights, the Ministry of Energy oversaw their installation, but by law, local authorities are supposed to take over their management once operational, a process that remains unclear.
Jurisdiction
The entire length of the motorway is under the control of multiple local authorities, which has further complicated the issue.
According to the source, Ghana Highway Authority officials have repeatedly informed the Ministry of Energy that the streetlights are considered part of the road infrastructure and therefore fall under the authority’s responsibility.
“There have been several arguments over who must be responsible for street lights over the years, and we need to come to an agreement on that as a nation,” the source said.
According to the Street Lighting in Ghana Policy Framework (2011), the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are responsible for the development, installation, maintenance, replacement, and operation of street lights within their respective jurisdictions.
The policy framework clarifies the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders in ensuring effective street lighting across the country.
“Consequently, all street lighting constructed by the public agencies—central government, the MMDAs, road authorities, and the community—should be transferred to and owned by the local government authorities (MMDAs). Construction of community street lights shall be sanctioned by the MMDA,” it states.
In line with the Local Government (Departments of District Assemblies) (Commencement) Instrument, 2009 (Legislative Instrument 1961), jurisdictional and maintenance issues have complicated the situation.
Additionally, theft of road infrastructure, including street lights, has proven challenging to control on the motorway. According to the source, contractors faced persistent theft even while actively installing the lights, leading to the replacement of three transformers before the project could be completed.
Situation
Currently, driving on the 19-kilometre Accra-Tema Motorway at night is a nightmare due to the absence of streetlights, leaving the road in complete darkness.
Even when two-thirds of the road was equipped with solar-powered streetlights three years ago, drivers still complained of inadequate visibility, especially on the outer lanes, as many of the lights were faulty.
Back in 2021, Professor Alex Dodoo, Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority, informed the Daily Graphic that the installed streetlights did not meet national standards.
Now, the stretch remains entirely unlit at night.