Accra: Ghana's growing urban mobility crisis, where commuters spend long hours in gridlocks during peak hours, is costing the economy an estimated GHS4.5 billion per annum.
According to Ghana Web, a study by Glima Research, a leading research and consulting firm, reveals that traffic congestion, particularly along major 'gridlock hotspots' in Accra, has become a significant drawback to worker productivity, draining incomes and impacting the quality of life in the capital.
The study indicates that time lost in traffic accounts for approximately GHS3.2 billion annually, representing about 71 percent of the total estimated losses. Fuel waste contributes GHS434 million, or roughly 10 percent, while productivity losses linked to stress and fatigue amount to GHS815 million, representing about 18 percent of the total cost.
The research centered on the heavily congested Madina-37 corridor in Accra as a case study to project its national implications. The corridor was analyzed through data modeling to quantify time losses, fuel waste, and productivity impacts, which was then scaled nationwide using Gilma's traffic multiplier model.
The report highlights that traffic congestion in Accra is a massive economic sinkhole quietly draining productivity, income, and quality of life. It warns that Ghana's rapidly growing urban population, particularly in key growth corridors, will only intensify congestion if urgent interventions are not implemented.
Beyond the economic toll, the environmental impact is equally significant. The study estimates that preventable fuel waste from vehicles idling in traffic results in approximately 73,000 metric tons of excess carbon dioxide emissions each year nationwide, an environmental burden equivalent to wiping out the climate benefit of three million trees annually.
The study further revealed that congestion-induced stress and fatigue reduce effective productivity by about 30 minutes per commuter per day. On the Madina-37 corridor alone, this translates into an annual loss of GHS72.8 million in reduced work output. Other heavily congested routes, including Spintex Road, Mallam-Kasoa, and Circle-Achimota, face similar or even worse gridlock, particularly during peak hours.
To address the situation, the report proposed several interventions, including widening roads along critical segments, upgrading inner and feeder roads to reduce pressure on major highways, and deploying smart traffic lights. It emphasized that urban mobility investments are urgent, high-return economic priorities essential to safeguarding Ghana's productivity, environmental sustainability, and long-term development.
The report titled 'The cost of gridlock: a policy brief on Ghana's urban traffic crisis' was co-authored by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in engineering, analytics, and public policy. The team included lead research analyst Andy Sevordzi, Franklin Owusu-Kwakye, a seasoned geodetic engineer, Yussif Mohammed, a graduate of statistics, and Rudolph Djirackor, a biochemist and HSE specialist.