Some roads leading to and from Parliament House will be closed to the public on Thursday, January 7, 2020 during the swearing-in of the President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Vice President-elect, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The move forms part of security measures put in place by the Ghana Police Service to ensure a smooth conduct of activities during the inauguration.

The roads to be closed are the Osu Cemetery Traffic Light on the Lokko Street, the Castle Road from AU Circle to Osu Cemetery Traffic Light, the Crossroad heading towards Starlet 95 Street, the Independence Arch near the Ohene Djan Stadium, the Gamel Abdul Nasser Avenue (Ghana Institute of Journalism) Road on the Haile Selassie Street and the Opeibea, 37 Military Interchange and Ako Adjei on the Liberation Road.

The Director of Operations at the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), Superintendent Dr Samuel Sasu-Mensah, said this during the Ministry of Information press briefing in Accra yesterday.

Traffic diversions

On diversions, he said motorists from Lokko Street were expected to use the 28th February Road through John Evans Attah Mills Street to the Central Business District (CBD) or pass through the Oxford Street through Danquah Circle to Ring Road Central en route to Kwame Nkrumah Circle and thence to their destination.

Again, he said, traffic from AU Roundabout towards the Castle Road through Osu Cemetery will be onto the Independence Avenue through El Sinousi Street in front of the Ghana Institute of Journalism on the Haile Selassie Street

“Traffic from CBD – Kinbu on the Independence Avenue will be diverted on the Barnes Road and Liberia Road to link up to Kanda and thence to Madina

“Traffic emerging from Madina on the Liberation Road would be diverted to Casely Hayford thence to Obansanjo Highway and the Kanda Highway to link with the CBD,” he said.

Plans

The move, Superintendent Dr Sasu-Mensah said, formed part of contingencies and elaborate plans that the police intended to implement during the inauguration tomorrow. “Practically what we are going to do is that we are going to cordon off the enclaves of where the event is going to be held; the forecourt of Parliament House,” he said.

He said only vehicles assigned with invited guests or VVIP stickers would be allowed to cross at the various check points and park at designated car parks.

Stickers

“If you are not accredited and if you do not have invited guests stickers you would not be allowed entry and all other vehicles would be allowed to park at the Black Stars Square and persons being bussed or chauffeured to the venue where the event would take place,” he said, and that “traffic police officers would be stationed on various routes to assist the motoring public”.

Superintendent Dr Sasu-Mensah, therefore, urged members of the public to cooperate with the police to ensure efficient traffic management for the success of the programme.

A Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Pius Hadzide, reminded the public that January 7 was National Constitution Day and, therefore, a public holiday and thus expected traffic around the ceremonial enclave to be decongested.

“We entreat the good people of Ghana to cooperate and assist the police to do their work,” he said.

Media accreditation

He said the ministry had received more than 200 requests for media accreditation from both local and foreign media for the coverage of the swearing-in of the President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo and the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on Thursday, January 7, 2020 in Accra.

He said the 400 television and radio stations were capable of transmitting the event but “we are unable to allow 400 cameras and microphones into the main Chamber of the event”.

“A media village to sit about 200 media personnel has been erected within the precincts of Parliament and within which all media personnel would operate.

He said GBC would handle the entire production from the main chamber of Parliament.