Deputy Roads and Highways Minister, Stephen Pambiin Jalulah, has opined debts owed contractors are partly responsible for the dysfunctional traffic lights in Accra.
The debts, according to him, include traffic maintenance contractors and all others in charge of road maintenance.
“We pay these private companies based on the work done and a lot of debts have been cleared over the years. But since the inception of Ghana, there is about GHS 7.3 billion debt yet to be cleared,” he disclosed this on Beyi W’ano segment on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem.
His revelation comes on the back of a report from the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) which indicated 48% of all traffic lights in the Greater Accra Region do not function properly.
The Authority, in a statement, disclosed that a total of 75 traffic lights have been identified to be non-functional across the country.
Out of the 75, the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central and Western Regions account for 83% of all non-functional traffic lights.
A situation the outfit bemoaned is a threat to road safety and potentially increases the risk of road crashes in the country.
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The Minister, who doubles as Pru West Member of Parliament, stated the phenomenon is of great and major concern to the government.
He explained the ministry on their part is working tirelessly to engage the contractors to undertake maintenance.
“Urban roads supervise all the traffic lights but we engage private companies for installation and maintenance. So unless there is a power outage, we can’t blame the contractor for the dysfunction but if it is something with maintenance, they are called to the site,” Mr Jalulah added.