The Pokuase Footbridge has been opened for public use. But, like the scepticism which comes with most lifestyle changes, some pedestrians are refusing to use the life-saving infrastructure.

"I have a waist problem, and climbing this long bridge will affect me," – one pedestrian said. Another was unsure how safe the bridge was, considering workers were still on site.

Though Maximus was excited about the project, especially because he uses the road every day, he had a concern - "it is going to be safe for us now, but I’m wondering how are they going to stop people from crossing the street at night?"

The bus stop for commercial vehicles has been moved to another spot on the stretch.

This has also brought some discomfort to both customers and drivers as they keep moving towards the old spot.

Officers from the Ghana police service's motor traffic and transport department have to keep reminding them to use the new spot. That was not all. The officers have to keep turning back the pedestrians who refuse to climb the footbridge.

One of the officers, Livity Bibkuu, said, "it’s like I have to keep reminding them of why they do not have to risk their lives by crossing the busy street instead of using the bride."

Levity and her other colleagues will be stationed at the foot of the bride, doing this work for a while, at least until the pedestrians accept to stop putting their lives in danger.

That’s how the Head of Education, Research and Training at the MTTD, Superintendent Alexander Obeng wants it.

In fact, his officers have additional work of stopping commercial drivers from parking at the old bust stop because a new spot has been assigned them.

Then they would also have to stop the pedestrians from walking towards the old spot.

Superintendent Obeng has a plan to make this work – "we will be here to help all motorists who do the wrong thing. We will be here to help them adjust day and night. Our officers have been equipped with flash lights to do this work at night."

He told JoyNews, after officers spent a day sensitising road users on the importance of climbing the bridge and not running on the road.

In order to ensure the work he and his officers are doing is not in vain, Superintendent Obeng reminds motorists plying the Pokuase stretch to re-read their highway code of 1974 and be guided accordingly.  

His warning; "we will not be here all the time, but we expect the motorist to do the right thing to avoid facing the law for wrongdoing".

He also urged drivers to support their work without the presence of the police.