Motorists and commuters using the SCC–Old Barrier stretch of the Kasoa–Mallam Highway are calling on the government to urgently rehabilitate the road, particularly the section in front of Atala Company, as its deteriorating condition continues to cause severe traffic congestion and pose significant safety risks.

Road users say the once-busy stretch has been neglected despite its strategic importance, with extensive potholes, collapsed sections of the carriageway and persistent flooding reducing what was previously a three-lane road to a single usable lane in some areas.

The situation has been worsened by wastewater flowing onto the road from the Bortianor and Red Top communities after a major drainage channel in front of Noble House became heavily silted.

The continuous discharge of wastewater has further weakened the road surface, creating deep potholes and waterlogged sections that force motorists to slow down considerably or come to a complete stop before carefully navigating the damaged portions.

As a result, the stretch has become a major traffic bottleneck, with commuters spending hours in congestion on a road that previously took only minutes to traverse.

According to road users, a journey that ordinarily takes less than two minutes now takes more than 40 minutes during peak periods.

The poor condition of the road has also created dangerous driving conditions. Vehicles travelling from Kasoa towards Mallam are frequently forced onto the opposite carriageway to avoid the badly damaged section near Atala Company, increasing the risk of head-on collisions with oncoming traffic.

Commercial drivers say the deteriorating road is taking a heavy toll on their livelihoods.

Kwame Amissah, a commercial driver who uses the stretch daily, appealed to the government to undertake immediate repairs.

“The government should come and repair this road as soon as possible. We spend hours stuck in traffic every day because of this stretch, and it is reducing the number of trips we can make. It is seriously affecting our daily income,” he told Citi Newsroom.

For many commuters, the daily gridlock has become physically and emotionally draining.

Joana, a banker who travels through the area every day, said the congestion had become so unbearable that she was considering relocating until the road is repaired.

“I spend several hours in traffic almost every day. It is affecting my work and my personal life, and I am even thinking about relocating until this road is fixed,” she said.

Akua, a military officer stationed at the 37 Military Hospital, said she has been forced to significantly adjust her daily routine because of the worsening traffic.

She revealed that she now leaves home at 4:00 a.m. just to report for duty by 6:00 a.m., describing the situation as unsustainable.

The commuters are appealing to the Ministry of Roads and Highways and other relevant authorities to urgently rehabilitate the SCC–Old Barrier stretch and address the drainage challenges contributing to its rapid deterioration before conditions worsen further.