‘My Public Voice To Sustain Accra’s Road Beautification Drive:.

I am deeply encouraged by the renewed focus on traffic management through the restoration of red-and-white road markings across the capital. This practical and timely intervention by government deserves commendation. The adage says “A road without lines is a river without banks”. and “Where the path is clear, the traveler fears less.”

I congratulate the Honourable Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo; the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey; and all MMDCEs for the commendable work undertaken thus far to improve visibility, order, and safety on our roads. It is a fact that not every reform needs a crane; some need only paint. For “A visible path saves invisible lives.”

Road markings may appear modest, but they are powerful instruments of safety and urban discipline. The continued expansion of ridge or road-edge lines, median and kerb markings, and especially central island demarcations must remain a strategic priority within the broader beautification and modernization agenda of the capital. These markings significantly reduce accidents by enhancing night visibility, clearly defining carriageway boundaries, and guiding motorists safely around obstructions. Considering that, “When the road speaks clearly, accidents whisper less.” A small lines today could prevent long tears tomorrow.

In a city where street-lighting expansion can be capital-intensive, reflective guard and pavement markings provide a cost-effective and immediately impactful complement. Regulatory pavement markings particularly at pedestrian crossings, intersections, and high-traffic corridors, further enhance safety by enabling both drivers and pedestrians to navigate confidently after dark.

We must not underestimate incremental reform. Small beginnings often produce transformative outcomes. Order on the road reflects order in governance. Clear markings communicate discipline, foresight, and respect for human life.

Amid the noise of urban politics, it is often the quietest reforms that carry the greatest consequence. Across Accra and the wider Greater Accra Region, a subtle yet powerful intervention has unfolded: the repainting of lane dividers, pedestrian crossings, and red-and-white kerbs. At first glance, they are merely lines. In reality, they are policy made visible.

Road markings are not cosmetic decoration; they are traffic engineering. They regulate speed, define spatial boundaries, prevent confusion, and protect pedestrians. On poorly lit roads, reflective paint frequently delivers more immediate safety benefits than expensive lighting infrastructure. A driver who sees a clear centre line adjusts instinctively. A pedestrian who steps onto a bright zebra crossing does so with confidence.

In a city where rapid urban growth has outpaced infrastructure expansion, clarity on the asphalt becomes governance in action. Given that, every unmarked road signals neglect. And every clearly marked one signals responsibility.

Compared to flyovers, interchanges, or large-scale highway projects, pavement markings are relatively inexpensive. Yet their impact is disproportionate. They reduce head-on collisions, discourage reckless overtaking, and impose visual discipline on otherwise chaotic traffic flows. In public finance terms, this is a high-return investment. In public safety terms, it is life-saving infrastructure.

The arithmetic is simple: more paint, fewer funerals.

The greatest risk now is complacency. Too often, road painting becomes a short-term beautification exercise rather than a sustained policy commitment. Markings fade. Maintenance lapses. Enforcement weakens. If Accra is serious about building a disciplined capital, road visibility must be institutionalized, budgeted annually, audited regularly, and embedded within urban planning frameworks. On the account that, the state that marks its roads marks its seriousness.

In governance, ‘Red and white’ lines that safeguard lives are not trivial embellishments; they are symbols of state presence. In view that, paint on the road is ink in the book of governance.

Streetlights require heavy capital investment and continuous electricity supply. Reflective thermoplastic paint requires far less yet delivers immediate visibility in low-light conditions.

In many cities globally, the sequence of reform is straightforward: mark first, upgrade later. For not every reform needs a crane; some need only paint. Even as visibility is the foundation of order. Accra must adopt the same discipline. Being as, the wise city draws its boundaries before drawing its monuments.

Leadership is not measured only by grand speeches or monumental projects. Sometimes it is measured by whether a pedestrian returns home safely, whether a motorist understands the lane, whether the road communicates structure and certainty. The road-marking initiative is a reminder that urban reform often begins at the road’s edge.

Accra’s safety revolution may be quiet, but it must not stall. The paint must not dry in policy ambition. It must be refreshed, expanded, and defended as core public-safety infrastructure. Because visibility is not decoration. In road safety, it is life and death.

I respectfully urge the authorities to sustain and intensify this initiative. Let us make visibility a permanent policy priority. Let us make safety visible.

Osɔfo Nii Naate Atswele Agbo Nartey

‘My Public Voice To Sustain Accra’s Road Beautification Drive:.

I am deeply encouraged by the renewed focus on traffic management through the restoration of red-and-white road markings across the capital. This practical and timely intervention by government deserves commendation. The adage says “A road without lines is a river without banks”. and “Where the path is clear, the traveler fears less.”

I congratulate the Honourable Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo; the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey; and all MMDCEs for the commendable work undertaken thus far to improve visibility, order, and safety on our roads. It is a fact that not every reform needs a crane; some need only paint. For “A visible path saves invisible lives.”

Road markings may appear modest, but they are powerful instruments of safety and urban discipline. The continued expansion of ridge or road-edge lines, median and kerb markings, and especially central island demarcations must remain a strategic priority within the broader beautification and modernization agenda of the capital. These markings significantly reduce accidents by enhancing night visibility, clearly defining carriageway boundaries, and guiding motorists safely around obstructions. Considering that, “When the road speaks clearly, accidents whisper less.” A small lines today could prevent long tears tomorrow.

In a city where street-lighting expansion can be capital-intensive, reflective guard and pavement markings provide a cost-effective and immediately impactful complement. Regulatory pavement markings particularly at pedestrian crossings, intersections, and high-traffic corridors, further enhance safety by enabling both drivers and pedestrians to navigate confidently after dark.

We must not underestimate incremental reform. Small beginnings often produce transformative outcomes. Order on the road reflects order in governance. Clear markings communicate discipline, foresight, and respect for human life.

Amid the noise of urban politics, it is often the quietest reforms that carry the greatest consequence. Across Accra and the wider Greater Accra Region, a subtle yet powerful intervention has unfolded: the repainting of lane dividers, pedestrian crossings, and red-and-white kerbs. At first glance, they are merely lines. In reality, they are policy made visible.

Road markings are not cosmetic decoration; they are traffic engineering. They regulate speed, define spatial boundaries, prevent confusion, and protect pedestrians. On poorly lit roads, reflective paint frequently delivers more immediate safety benefits than expensive lighting infrastructure. A driver who sees a clear centre line adjusts instinctively. A pedestrian who steps onto a bright zebra crossing does so with confidence.

In a city where rapid urban growth has outpaced infrastructure expansion, clarity on the asphalt becomes governance in action. Given that, every unmarked road signals neglect. And every clearly marked one signals responsibility.

Compared to flyovers, interchanges, or large-scale highway projects, pavement markings are relatively inexpensive. Yet their impact is disproportionate. They reduce head-on collisions, discourage reckless overtaking, and impose visual discipline on otherwise chaotic traffic flows. In public finance terms, this is a high-return investment. In public safety terms, it is life-saving infrastructure.

The arithmetic is simple: more paint, fewer funerals.

The greatest risk now is complacency. Too often, road painting becomes a short-term beautification exercise rather than a sustained policy commitment. Markings fade. Maintenance lapses. Enforcement weakens. If Accra is serious about building a disciplined capital, road visibility must be institutionalized, budgeted annually, audited regularly, and embedded within urban planning frameworks. On the account that, the state that marks its roads marks its seriousness.

In governance, ‘Red and white’ lines that safeguard lives are not trivial embellishments; they are symbols of state presence. In view that, paint on the road is ink in the book of governance.

Streetlights require heavy capital investment and continuous electricity supply. Reflective thermoplastic paint requires far less yet delivers immediate visibility in low-light conditions.

In many cities globally, the sequence of reform is straightforward: mark first, upgrade later. For not every reform needs a crane; some need only paint. Even as visibility is the foundation of order. Accra must adopt the same discipline. Being as, the wise city draws its boundaries before drawing its monuments.

Leadership is not measured only by grand speeches or monumental projects. Sometimes it is measured by whether a pedestrian returns home safely, whether a motorist understands the lane, whether the road communicates structure and certainty. The road-marking initiative is a reminder that urban reform often begins at the road’s edge.

Accra’s safety revolution may be quiet, but it must not stall. The paint must not dry in policy ambition. It must be refreshed, expanded, and defended as core public-safety infrastructure. Because visibility is not decoration. In road safety, it is life and death.

I respectfully urge the authorities to sustain and intensify this initiative. Let us make visibility a permanent policy priority. Let us make safety visible.

Osɔfo Nii Naate Atswele Agbo Nartey