Agbodza Orders 10 Speed Ramps on Bolgatanga–Paga Highway After Nearly 20 Deaths

Roads Minister gives Ghana Highway Authority until Monday to mobilise contractors for temporary safety measures, as residents of Sumbrungu demand action after months of fatal crashes.

BOLGATANGA, Nov. 11 — Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza has directed the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to immediately install 10 speed-calming measures along the Bolgatanga–Navrongo–Paga Highway, following disclosures that the corridor has recorded between 10 and 20 road fatalities within a relatively short period.

Speaking during a road inspection tour of the Upper East Region on Wednesday, Agbodza said the measures would cover an approximately eight-kilometre stretch, concentrated around schools, clinics and other public areas . The directive followed concerns raised by Upper East Regional Minister Donatus Atanga Akamugri, who brought the fatality figures to Agbodza's attention during the tour .

"The engineer has already suggested that they have identified or proposed 10 speed-calming features on the road, over about eight kilometres, especially around places of public interest, schools, clinics and other areas," Agbodza said. "This is a very busy road. So I direct the Highways Authority to immediately get a competent person or somebody with the capacity to provide this solution, possibly by Monday" .

Temporary Fix Ahead of Major Rehabilitation

The Minister explained that the speed-calming measures would serve as an interim safety intervention while the government prepares for a comprehensive rehabilitation of the highway. He acknowledged that the planned rehabilitation could come too late to save lives in the interim.

"We know that the road itself is planned for major rehabilitation later, but that time may be too late for somebody's life to be saved," he said. "We will put in temporary measures for now to help calm the traffic while we work towards the bigger solution, which is to take a comprehensive look at the entire road surface" .

Agbodza also appealed to motorists to exercise caution, observe traffic regulations and avoid excessive speeding .

Community Pressure Built for Months

The ministerial directive follows sustained pressure from residents of Sumbrungu, a community along the highway, who have repeatedly demanded speed ramps, pedestrian crossings and warning signs. In late October 2026, residents reported that 14 accidents between July and October had claimed nine lives, with the latest incident on October 25 killing two young men .

The Sumbrungu stretch forms part of the Trans-ECOWAS highway running from Bolgatanga through Navrongo to the Paga border with Burkina Faso, carrying heavy passenger and cargo traffic through densely populated roadside communities . Residents complained that the road lacked basic safety infrastructure despite passing through a school and market area.

"Have you seen any road sign showing that there's a school here? Have you seen any zebra crossing?" asked resident Gilbert Alolika in October .

The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly had approved a proposal for speed ramps in July 2026, but nearly three months later no work had begun, prompting youth in the community to threaten to construct the ramps themselves .

Broader Road Safety Concerns

The Bolgatanga–Paga corridor is not the only road in the Upper East Region drawing ministerial attention. During the same tour, Agbodza confronted contractors working on the Bolgatanga–Bawku–Polimakom road project, warning them they risked replacement if they failed to return to site and accelerate work .

The Minister's visit to the region is part of a wider inspection of road projects under the government's Big Push Programme, which has seen significant investment in road infrastructure across the country .

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The Ghana Highway Authority is expected to mobilise contractors for the speed ramp installation by Monday, November 16.