Ghana Trotro tales: oh traffic

Posted on February 25, 2020

Whether you’re in trotro, taxi or a private car, the traffic situation in town is simply upsetting! Just the other day, commuting from New Dawhenya to work (Spintex) took me close to 2 hours, 30 minutes. The very same journey that took me an hour and 30 minutes to work before; that same 2 hours, 30 minutes is the estimated time driving from Tema to Cape Coast.

And so, I kept wondering through my journey, ‘What exactly is the cause of this traffic?’ Please, allow me to give you a vivid description of a typical traffic-packed morning.

Related: Tales Of An NSS Teacher: Trotro On The Mountain

My sleepy self woke up around 5 am in order to make it to work on time. Here I was beautifully dressed and ready to start my day. I got to the roadside around 6:20, which is usually around the same time I get an Accra car. Oh, and yes, might I say, I felt the happiest having made it in time to beat the traffic.

From my street to the Tema Community 25 area, I spent a whole hour on the road. Even that, there were policemen to help conduct traffic o. I am reliably informed that it is when the police are controlling traffic that it (traffic) worsens. Hmmm, so I thought this driver of mine would do kuluulu (meander his way through using a shorter route or the shoulders of the road) so we could get onto the motorway earlier. But no. This driver was only getting started; he decided to show some krakye (manly) powers wanting to be the only law-abiding trotro driver in town. Try as I could, I couldn’t even be angry at him.

Traffic, shopping and more

So, we slowly made it out of the 25 areas and the rest of the trip was smooth until we got to the Ashaiman runabout(roundabout). The trotro stopped to drop off a passenger or take on another, making the journey back onto the road another stress. Too many cars on the road yet we made it past there too; now we were towards the toll gate and onto the Accra-Tema motorway where the drive was a very smooth one until we got to the Tetteh Quarshie runabout.

Related: Ghana Trotro: The Lone Sojourner

There it was again; our ever-present and ever-faithful friend, Traffic again.
And you’ll think by now I would be used to meeting him, but no. He shows up at very wrong times. Anyway, his visit isn’t so bad since you find hawkers selling all sorts of appetizing and attractive goods and foodstuff. But I don’t think I will be falling for his pranks any time soon. First, he takes up my time and later my money! No please, I think I’m fine for now.

Finally, I managed to get to my destination amidst sweating, tiredness and sore feet. Akosua, my teammate met me at the entrance leading to my office…. “Madam, the Head of Human Resource came looking for you; she says come by her place even before you get to your desk”.

I remarked in my head “Papa Traffic, you see your life! no thanks for letting me get to work 35 minutes late. Now, what am I going to tell this HR woman? Query letter go cry today (I am most likely be queried today)”.

#OhTraffic!

Thanks for reading.

Ghana Trotro tales: oh traffic post by Zuri Naa Shika Laryea

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