Traffic Congestion's During Presidents Bush Visit(Back page)

26/02/2008

Story: Mary Mensah & Daniel Nkrumah
COMMUTERS in Accra had to contend with heavy traffic congestion for close to six hours yesterday as security men mounted road blocks in the capital in the wake of the visit of the President of the United States of America, Mr George W. Bush.
The traffic situation appeared to have been worsened by some changes in the routes used by President Bush, particularly because such changes were communicated to the public at a very short notice.
Major streets in the capital were dotted with police personnel and flag-waving schoolchildren, who waited anxiously to catch a glimpse of the American President, and the American First Lady, Laura Bush.
In the sweltering heat, some commuters had to walk long distances to their various destinations as empty trotro buses and taxis were caught in the traffic for hours.
One commuter, who gave her name as Mary Quao, tucked her child at her back and walked from the 37 Lorry Station to La, as the road from Accra Girls Secondary through 37 Military Hospital to the Trade Fair Centre at La had been blocked.
Some of the commuters expressed their displeasure at the long hours the roads had been blocked, arguing that they had been told the blockades were going to last for shorter periods.
“This is pure punishment, I am going to Tema and I have to walk a long distance before I can get a bus,” another commuter lashed out and briskly walked away, dabbing his face with a wet handkerchief to wipe away sweat.
Some private car owners, after waiting in the traffic for well over three hours, came out of their cars and joined members of the public lined along the streets to catch a glimpse of President Bush.
One private car owner, Mrs Paulina Marquaye, who had stayed in traffic at the Lands Department for well over two hours, said, “This is not fair to Ghanaians, the man had delayed and they should have at least allowed us to pass rather than leaving us in the sun”.
The American President had breezed through the streets of La to the Osu Castle earlier in the morning around 9.30 am in a convoy of about 40 cars. Seated comfortably in his Ford limousine, he waved at the schoolchildren, and members of the public along the road and it appeared that some of them had expected to see more of him than a brief glimpse in the convoy. “I could not even see his eyes,” one school girl lamented as she walked away quite disappointed.
Just before the movement of the convoy, there had been a hitch when an Urvan bus knocked down one of the motor riders after the bus driver had ignored police signals to stop at the U-Turn just before the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel.
The victim was rushed unconscious to the Police Hospital where he was said to be responding to treatment. The driver of the Urvan bus, however, absconded and abandoned the vehicle, which was later towed to the Police Headquarters.
On Tuesday, on President Bush’s arrival at the Kotoka International Airport, police personnel lined up from the Airport Roundabout on both sides of the road to the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel.
They had a difficult time controlling the large number of people, especially those at the Palm Wine Junction at La, who had gathered to welcome the American President and his convoy.
It was a spectacular sight as the police motor riders exhibited their riding skills on the roads to the admiration of the crowd who cheered them on. The crowd got into a frenzy when the Ford limousine conveying the President and his wife passed by.
Some of them were happy to have witnessed the event, claiming that they were also part of history and had a story to tell their grandchildren in future.
An American Naval Ship surveyed the waters in front of the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, where the American President was believed to have lodged. Also, there were helicopters that hovered in the skies around the area apparently as part of the security measures.