It is emerging that companies in Accra, whose staff are affected by the deplorable Pokuase-Nsawam road, may be silently counting losses as the bad road is draining workers’ time, energy, and productivity.
Economist at the Pentecost University, Dr. Paul Appiah-Konadu, says beyond the inconveniences, the road has become an economic sinkhole with far-reaching consequences.
Speaking to The High Street Journal, he explained that due to the high cost of housing in Accra, many workers have been pushed to access relatively affordable housing within the catchment areas of the road and beyond.
He indicates that communities such as Amasaman, Pobiman, Kuntunsi, Kotoku, Dobro, and even Nsawam have workers who commute daily to Accra for work. For these workers, commuting daily means battling dilapidated roads, endless traffic, and unreliable transport.
“Because of the high cost of rents in Accra, people are moving to the countryside and beyond Amasaman, Pobiman, Kuntunsi, Kotoku, Dobro, and even in Nsawam. I know some people who are staying that far and working in Accra,” he narrated.
The unmotorable road, he says, among other things, leads to lost productive hours. Employees of companies staying in the area are likely to be stressed and have drained energy levels at work.
Such a stressed and tired worker, he says, cannot contribute significantly to productivity.
He said, “The nature of the road is such that people stress to get a car early in the morning to get to work, so a lot of people get to work late, and when it rains, some people do not even get a car to work, which is a loss of productive hours.”
“Those with cars have to spend long hours in traffic, so they get to work stressed up, and are not able to exert the required level of energy. When you are coming back, it is the same. there is a lot of stress in the course of the week, and we are losing a lot of productive man-hours. Dr. Appiah-Konadu noted in an interview with The High Street Journal.
The economic toll extends beyond lost time. Vehicle owners spend thousands of cedis annually on repairs due to poor road conditions. Commercial drivers complain of weekly or monthly major maintenance, raising transport costs for commuters and businesses alike.
He added that, “if you talk to the road drivers, almost every week, maximum every month, you have to take your car to the shop for major maintenance, spending so much on spare parts, just because of the nature of the road.”
The economist emphasizes that the cumulative impact of the gridlock on corporate Ghana is staggering. From declining productivity, increased operational costs, to reduced competitiveness.
The Pokuase-Nsawam road, a major corridor linking Accra and Kumasi, is not just a transportation problem; it is a ticking economic crisis. As it has been announced that the contractor who abandoned the site has returned, he prays that the construction is expedited to the relief of commuters and businesses that are counting losses.
