In February 2025, the second phase of the Tema Intersection Improvement Project (“Phase 2”) was finally completed. Ten years after the start of Phase 1, the biggest traffic bottleneck in the area has been reborn in the form of a multi-level intersection. Residents are delighted, saying that their commuting time has been cut in half and that they are less worried about accidents.
Tema Intersection after completion of construction
Project Summary: The full project in figures
Phase 1: Total 14.5 km of road construction, including 2.1 km in the east-west direction and 1.9 km in the north-south direction, including a 190-m-long excavated road (box culvert), and connecting side roads and service roads, etc.
Construction period: February 2018 – June 2020
Total project cost: 6 billion yen
Forecasting Effectiveness
Passenger traffic up 81
Cargo traffic up 68
Travel time reduced by up to 76
Phase 2: Construction of a 1.8 km road in the north-south direction, including a 142 m long elevated bridge (3-span continuous steel plate girder bridge)
Total project cost: 3.6 billion yen
Construction period: July 2022 – February 2025
Forecasting Effectiveness
Passenger traffic up 214
Cargo traffic up 206
Travel time reduced by up to 87
Why was it necessary? Core Significance of the Project
The Tema Crossing is the “main artery of West Africa” where the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor and the Eastern Corridor intersect. The volume of cargo handled at the Tema Port has been increasing at an average annual rate of about 10% since 2000, making it the largest sea gateway for Ghana, and it also plays an important function in transporting cargo to inland countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali. However, the five roundabout-style intersections with a flat intersection for 120,000 vehicles per day caused chronic traffic congestion in the morning and at night, with travel speeds below 10 km/h and congestion exceeding 1 km on a daily basis, which was an impediment to smooth traffic flow.
Initially, the Ghanaian government’s request was to completely elevate the flat intersection with two layers of interchange-style overpass bridges. However, in consideration of the project scale, land acquisition, removal of obstacles, and relocation of houses and stores, it was decided to divide the project into two phases: Phase 1, underground in the east-west direction, and Phase 2, elevated in the north-south direction.
This project will embody the Strategic Master Plan for the Development of the West Africa Growth Ring Corridor prepared by JICA in 2018, and will contribute to the development of the entire West African region. By eliminating serious traffic congestion and supporting the rapid movement of goods and people, the project is expected to create a virtuous cycle of investment promotion and market expansion, thereby generating sustainable and robust economic growth.
The solid red lines are the corridors that will be prioritized for development as the West Africa Growth Ring. From left to right: Abidjan-Ouagadougou corridor, Accra-Ouagadougou corridor, Lome-Ouagadougou corridor, and Abidjan-Lagos corridor below.
Tema intersection before the start of Phase 1. Traffic congestion extended to the top of the intersection, with some routes up to over 1 km in length.
Japanese technology that meets local needs
In Ghana, the lack of maintenance after infrastructure construction is a social issue due to unstable public finances. In particular, the concept of “after-the-fact maintenance” is the mainstream for roads and bridges, and repairs are made only after damage has actually occurred or expanded, leading to higher construction costs and longer construction periods. In light of this situation, this project adopted steel plates with extended coating life for steel bridges on elevated roads, extending the repainting period to more than double that of ordinary steel, and thereby realizing high-quality infrastructure that meets local needs. An engineer from the Ghanaian government said with pleasure, “This is an excellent infrastructure that reduces maintenance and management costs by combining economic efficiency and workability.
Volunteer activities that contributed to the local community
Since the start of construction, all the staff involved in the site have continued to clean up the area every Friday after lunchtime in order to create ties with the neighboring community and to raise the environmental awareness of all the staff. Regardless of nationality or position, everyone, with garbage bags in hand, worked together to clean up the area around the site. The trash never ceased until the very end, but the awareness of environmental beautification created through these activities steadily took root in each and every one of us. When it came time for the cleanup, the way all of us united our hearts and took charge of the activity was a source of great pride for us in the project.” (JFE Engineering, site manager)
Both Japanese companies and partner companies worked together to clean up the area.
National Opening Ceremony
Prior to the completion of construction, an elevated roadway opening ceremony was held in December 2024.
The event was attended by then President Akufo-Addo, the Minister of Roads, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Governor of the Greater Accra Region, and many other high-ranking government officials, and was broadcast live on Ghana’s national broadcaster, attracting a great deal of public and media attention. President Akufo-Addo expressed his deep gratitude to Japan and called on the people of Ghana to “use this crossing responsibly and permanently, as a gift to all of us,” and renewed his determination to promote strong economic development in the country with this crossing as a foundation. The Ghanaian government also painted the bridge abutment with the Japanese and Ghanaian flags, symbolizing the friendship between the two countries.
An act at the opening ceremony
© Source JICA
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