Residents of Damongo, the regional capital of Ghana’s Savannah region laments over poor illumination of their streets as a result of dysfunctional streetlights for months now.
Major streets in the township including the 7/7-Canteen stretch, the Dass stretch, and the Damongo-Sawla stretch are engulfed in darkness, posing significant risks to motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Some residents in an interview with Thriller News Gh have raised concerns about their safety and fear of possible attacks by unsuspecting criminals within the township. They said the situation has earned the town an ominous nickname “The Dark Capital.”
For most residents, the consequences of this neglect are far-reaching. The lack of functioning street lights not only disrupts the daily lives of commuters but also creates an environment conducive to criminal activities, such as theft, assault, and vandalism.
A resident journalist in the area, Cajetan Don-ninge said “the issue of non-functioning street lights within the Damongo municipality has become a pressing concern. It posses security concerns and walking around or riding on the streets at night is extremely dangerous. The attention of stakeholders have been drawn to the media and even through my personal article ‘Shedding Light on Damongo’s Darkness: The Urgent Need to Restore Street Lighting in Ghana’s ‘Dark Capital’ but we are yet to see any improvement in the situation.”
Issahaku Feruza, a resident of Canteen, a suburb of the regional capital lamented saying “None of the streetlights from the township to Canteen is working. There were rumors that the MP was coming to fix them but till now we are yet to see any progress. This is heartbreaking and we wish the municipal authorities could come to our rescue. This is the administration capital of the regional and the traditional capital of the Gonjaland kingdom and the poor lighting system in this town is a major disgrace.”
According to statistics from the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), inadequate street lighting contributes to over 30% of road crashes in Ghana. This staggering figure underscores the urgent need for intervention to address this critical road safety issue.
The responsibility for this problem lies squarely with the Damongo Municipal Assembly, the local government authority tasked with the maintenance and sustainability of the street lights. However, the local authorities seem to have been negligent in their duties, allowing the street lights to fall into disrepair and leaving the town in darkness.
This, in turn, leads to a pervasive sense of insecurity among the residents, deterring them from venturing out at night and negatively impacting social and economic activities.
In the opinion of Cajetan, “to address this pressing issue, a coordinated effort involving the Ministry of Roads and Highways, local authorities, and utility companies is required.
The Damongo Municipal Assembly must prioritize regular maintenance and prompt repairs of the street lights, ensuring that the funds collected from the street lighting levy are used for their intended purpose.
“Also, the implementation of a comprehensive monitoring system to identify and address non-functioning lights, as well as the exploration of sustainable solutions, such as solar-powered street lights, through collaboration with businesses and energy companies, could provide a long-term solution to this problem. The darkness that has enveloped Damongo is not just a matter of inconvenience; it represents a significant threat to the safety and well-being of the town’s residents. The local authorities must take immediate action to rectify this situation and restore the town’s rightful place as a vibrant and secure community. Failure to do so will only perpetuate the “Dark Capital” moniker and hinder the overall development of the Savannah region,” he opined.