By Dr. Valentin Mensah

On Saturday, 28 June 2025, a 357 kilometres journey from Elubo, Ghana’s main border with Cote d’Ivoire, to Accra took over nine hours! This bad experience compares with previous journeys from Accra to both Kumasi (257 kilometres) and Takoradi (235 kilometres) of not less than six (6) hours. Importantly, a 568 kilometres journey from Accra to Bole in the north takes an average of twelve (12) hours.  Obviously, this situation is not conducive to economic development. Studies show a positive correlation between increased market access (e.g., through better roads) and GDP growth, employment, and population growth, according to the OECD. 

As roads are key to economic development, fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and improving social well-being. They enable greater market access, facilitate trade and the movement of goods and people , and provide access to essential services, particularly in rural areas. According to the Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic (AICD) report, enhancing Ghana’s infrastructure to match that of the region’s middle-income countries could increase annual economic growth by up to 2.7 percentage points (World Bank, 2010). 

Conversely, similar distance journeys in Cote d’Ivoire like the 257 kilometres from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro takes three hours while that of Abidjan to Korhogo in the north takes 7 hours 30 minutes.  Remarkably, a 10-year-old passenger observed that without the e5ective tra5ic signal cameras in Cote d’Ivoire the journeys could have taken significantly less time. 

The most critical bottleneck is Agona Nkwanta toTakoradi section of the Elubo to Takoradi road, as it does not only serve the Takoradi Harbour but it also interconnects the vital mining and economic hubs like Tarkwa, Obuasi, Cote d’Ivoire, and Kumasi. The Takoradi port is responsible for 65% of the country’s exports, including cocoa, timber, manganese (4.7 million metric tons in 2024), and bauxite (1.4 million metric tons in 2024). The harbour also serves as a logistics base for Ghana’s oil and gas industry and facilitates imports such as clinker, gypsum, and industrial supplies (Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, 2024).

A comparative analysis of the delays in Ghana with Cote d’Ivoire indicates the following interrelated factors contributing to the delay on the N1 Highway:

• Slow Dualization Construction: The dualization of key routes like Agona Nkwanta– Takoradi (23 kilometres commenced in March 2024) and Kasoa–Winneba (30 kilometres commenced in December 2023) has been slow due to funding gaps and logistical delays. These unfinished projects create narrow lanes, diversions, and confusing traffic flow, causing long hold-ups and increasing driver frustration.
• Road Hazards and Poor Maintenance: The stretch between Aboadze and Ewusiadwo suffers from severe potholes, eroded edges, and an uneven single carriageway, making it difficult for vehicles especially heavy trucks to maintain balance. Trucks frequently tilt or fall off the road, causing dangerous obstructions. With no reliable towing services and police traffic control available, broken-down vehicles are left for hours or days, worsening congestion and increasing travel time.
• Traffic Congestion: Heavy-duty trucks transporting manganese, bauxite, and timber to the Takoradi Port cause major congestion along the N1. In towns like Shama, and Apremdo, these large trucks dominate the narrow single carriageway roads, often moving slowly or breaking down due to the deplorable nature of the road. 
• Obstructions and Human Encroachments: Along the N1, especially in areas like Kasoa, Shama, and Ewusiadwo, roadside markets, unauthorized bus stops, and mechanic shops spill onto the road, narrowing lanes and blocking visibility. These encroachments force vehicles to slow down or weave through crowds, worsening traffic and accelerating road damage. 
• Poorly Designed Speed Ramps: most of the speed ramps between Shama and

Mankessim are too steep, unmarked, or placed too close together, forcing drivers to brake suddenly. This slows traffic and often damages low-clearance or overloaded trucks, causing further delays and sometimes breakdowns on the road.

• Proliferation of Police Checkpoints: there are multiple police barriers and checkpoints between Takoradi and Winneba where vehicles are stopped for inspections, documentation verification and security screenings. 
• Ineffective Traffic Control: It was reported as far back in 2021 that the Ghana Police Service had deployed over 3000 intelligent cameras nationwide, specifically at traffic intersections, highways, and vital installations. The cameras help to detect road accidents or breakdowns, allowing for swift response and minimizing congestion. Moreover, they are to capture traffic infractions, such as speeding, jumping red lights, and wrongful overtaking, and relay the information to the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) for enforcement. MTTD was to start issuing Electronic Notices of Violation to vehicle owners from 18th July 2024. However, it appears the implementation has stalled.
• By contrast, Côte d’Ivoire’s traffic management system, powered by smart cameras and digitized fines (via TrésorPay), demonstrates how technology can be leveraged to enhance safety, reduce delays, and increase national productivity (Security Vision Wiki, 2024). The smart traffic cameras are visibly installed at specific intervals (mostly 4 kilometres) and actively used to enforce discipline on most highways.

Broader Economic Implications

According to Adam Smith, the natural propensity of humans to exchange goods and services is the foundation of commerce and specialization, which in turn drives productivity and national wealth. However, this system assumes a baseline of infrastructural efficiency and ease of movement. Smith emphasized that the division of labour upon which economic advancement depends is “limited by the extent of the market.” If goods and people cannot move freely and efficiently due to poor roads, delays, or regulatory dysfunction, the market contracts, specialization suffer and productivity declines.

In essence, poor transportation is not just an inconvenience it constricts economic opportunity. A food farmer in Ewusiadwo faces reduced profitability if their goods cannot reach markets in Accra promptly. This distortion undermines the principle of comparative advantage and ultimately depresses Ghana’s competitiveness in regional trade.

As Ghana positions itself for competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the inefficiencies on key economic corridors such as the N1 threaten its ability to benefit from regional trade. The issues go beyond road investments, they stem mainly from weak enforcement or vehicle road maintenance leading to frequent breakdowns, poor urban planning, and lack of discipline among road users and authorities alike.

Conclusion and Policy Recommendations

Ghana’s infrastructural underperformance, compounded by human-induced inefficiencies, continues to erode national productivity and economic potential. Addressing this requires:

• Accelerated completion of road infrastructure projects.
• Expanded deployment and completion of intelligent traffic systems and digitized enforcement.
• Replacement of the numerous road barriers and checkpoints with random stop and check to ease traffic flow.
• Stringent enforcement of traffic regulations.
• Proper urban and transport planning to prevent encroachments.
• Stationing of towing cars at the single carriage area.

Until then, Ghana will continue to experience productivity losses that are avoidable with both strategic investment and responsible governance.