Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis is witnessing increasing vehicular traffic jams recent times due to the opening of more businesses in the twin-city because of the emerging oil industry. The businesses include oil and telecommunication companies, banks, supermarkets and shops. All types of vehicles can be seen on roads in the Central Business District (CBD) with some of the companies using portions of roads as parking lot to worsen the traffic jam. To overcome the challenge, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has designated some streets as taxi and trotro parking space. The Issa Iddrisu Street near the Market Circle, for instance, is being used as the Anaji taxi station while the Effiakuma " trotro" station has occupied the Eddy Blay Lane. Although about two months ago, the STMA made a swift move to reverse the situation by installing new traffic lights at all traffic points, the impact has been minimal. On the Fijai- Takoradi road, For example, vehicles could get stuck in traffic for about 45 minutes before getting to Effiakuma which previously took about only five minutes drive. The situation is no different from that at Pipe Ano, drivers heading from Anaji, Bankyease and Tanokrom also go through the same situation before reaching Agip. From the Paa Grant roundabout, traffic jam could extend beyond the Takoradi Polytechnic junction, compelling drivers who ply that road to use alternative routes. Many residents in the metropolis are becoming uncomfortable and serious about this new development. While passengers claim that the situation affects their businesses, commercial drivers say it reduce their sales. Yaw Larbi, a taxi driver at the sekondi taxi station told the Times that "previously I was buying four gallons per day but now I have to buy six gallons". According to John Baidoo, a driver at the Effiakuma "trotro" station, drivers now have to work for more hours in order to realise their daily sales target. When the Times contacted the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the STMA, Mr. Opoku Boateng, on phone, he said the traffic jam was largely caused by a large number of vehicles trying to use the major streets and abandoning the other alternative routes. He said the assembly would do everything possible to bring the situation under control. Mr. Boateng said the assembly was in the process of demarcating certain portions of the streets to serve as on parking spots where drivers would be allowed to park at a fee, adding that, that would minimise reckless parking in the metropolis. The assembly, he said, was also considering building a modem car park to accommodate all kinds of vehicles in the metropolis. He said most of the roads were too narrow and that in the near future they would have to be expanded to meet the increasing population of vehicle in the metropolis. Source: Ghanaian Times