Accra’s New SkyTrain Project Faces Delays Amid Funding Issues — And We're Still Stuck in Traffic and Floods
I remember the first time I heard about the Accra SkyTrain project. It was on Facebook, actually—some viral post with futuristic renderings of sleek trains zipping through the city skyline like something out of a Marvel movie. I couldn’t help but smile. “Wow,” I thought. “Maybe, just maybe, we’re finally getting there.”
But here we are, a few years later, and I’m still spending two hours getting from East Legon to Ridge in a trotro that breaks down whenever the road gets too flooded. The SkyTrain? Still a dream. And now, we’re hearing it’s delayed—again—this time because of funding issues. (Big shocker, right?)
Honestly, I’m not even mad. Just... tired. We keep getting promised these bold, high-flying solutions while the ground beneath us is literally crumbling—or in some cases, drowning. I mean, let’s talk about how the same week we heard the SkyTrain is delayed, half of Accra was underwater from the rains. Like, how does that even make sense?
In my experience (and I’ve been in Accra long enough to say this), we’ve got a knack for dreaming big but forgetting the basics. The idea of a SkyTrain is cool and all, but how about we fix the drainage system first? You can’t ride a train over a city that can’t survive three hours of rain. What’s the point of flying through the air if the roads below are rivers and people’s homes are soaked to the ceiling?
And funding... oh boy. That’s always the story, isn’t it? “We’re looking for investors,” “Talks are ongoing,” “Commitments are being finalized.” Meanwhile, we’re here, dodging potholes and praying the Uber driver doesn’t cancel because of flooding. I might be wrong, but it really feels like these projects are more about the headlines than the actual people who live here.
I get it—development takes time. But development should also be practical. Relatable. If I still have to roll up my trousers to cross the street after every rain, I’m not sure a SkyTrain is what we need right now. Maybe that money—if it ever shows up—should go into things that directly improve daily life first. Things like working drains. Affordable housing that doesn't float. Reliable public transport on the ground.
That said, I do love the idea of the SkyTrain. Who wouldn’t want a cleaner, faster way to get around Accra? But dreaming big doesn’t mean ignoring reality. And our reality is this: Accra isn’t ready for the sky if the ground is falling apart.
So here’s a question: Do we really need to shoot for the skies right now—or should we just learn how to keep our feet dry first?
Food for thought… maybe while you’re stuck in traffic, again, wondering if that SkyTrain will ever actually happen.
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