The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has expressed concern over the growing incidence of vandalism and theft targeting traffic light infrastructure across the country, revealing that criminals even stole components from a traffic signal installation located directly in front of the National Police Headquarters.
Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, June 10, Mr Agbodza described the situation as a serious threat to road safety and traffic management efforts, noting that the destruction and theft of traffic light components have become widespread and costly.
According to the minister, Ghana currently has approximately 415 traffic light installations nationwide, but only slightly more than 60 per cent are functioning.
“We have about 415 traffic lights across the country. About over 60 per cent are working,” he told Parliament.
Mr Agbodza attributed many of the malfunctioning traffic signals to deliberate acts of vandalism, explaining that criminals often target metal components housed in control chambers and sell them as scrap.
“Many times when you see the traffic lights not working, it is on many occasions deliberate where people go and vandalise the chambers. Some people actually vandalise the chambers and take the metal components and sell them as scrap metals,” he said.
The minister noted that the scale of the problem has become increasingly alarming, undermining government investments aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing road accidents at key intersections across the country.
One of the most disturbing incidents, he said, involved the theft of traffic light infrastructure situated near one of Ghana’s most heavily secured locations.
“The irony is that even the one in front of the Police Headquarters was also stolen,” he disclosed.
The revelation has intensified concerns about the vulnerability of critical public infrastructure and the audacity of those responsible. Observers argue that if equipment located near the Police Headquarters can be stolen, it highlights broader security and enforcement challenges that require urgent attention.
In addition to theft, Mr Agbodza said traffic light installations are frequently damaged by motorists who crash into them and leave the scene without reporting the incidents.
“Sometimes vehicles drive into them and then run away, and the value of the vehicles is less than sometimes the value of the things they have damaged,” he stated.
Road safety experts have consistently warned that damaged or non-functional traffic lights increase the risk of accidents, congestion and travel delays, particularly at busy intersections in major urban centres such as Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale.
The minister appealed to the public to support efforts to protect the infrastructure by reporting suspicious activities around traffic signal installations.
“We are appealing to the public to report any such vandalism to us,” he said.
Traffic light vandalism remains a recurring challenge for road authorities, who spend millions of cedis annually on repairs and replacement of damaged equipment. The theft of electrical cables, batteries, controllers and metal components has significantly affected the reliability and efficiency of traffic management systems in several parts of the country.
