Spintex Road was built for factories. Today it is better known for its traffic. The road running east from the Tetteh Quarshie area towards Sakumono and the Tema boundary carries trucks from warehouses alongside commuters from the estates that have grown up around it. On a weekday evening, a few kilometres can take an hour.
The name
The road is widely said to take its name from Spintex, a textile company that had a factory along it. Like many Accra place names, the company name stuck long after the road’s character changed.
Industry
Spintex Road developed as an industrial corridor between Accra and Tema, close to the motorway and the port. Factories, bottling plants, warehouses and distribution centres set up along it. The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana has its plant in the area, and many manufacturing and logistics firms followed.
Homes arrive
From the 1990s and 2000s, housing estates and private homes spread behind the factories. Areas such as Baatsona, Community 18 and the neighbourhoods towards Sakumono and Lashibi filled with residents attracted by lower prices than central Accra and easy access to Tema.
Business strip
The road itself became a commercial strip lined with banks, supermarkets, car dealerships, schools, churches, restaurants and filling stations. Many small businesses depend on the steady flow of traffic.
The traffic problem
Spintex Road carries far more vehicles than it was designed for. Heavy trucks, commuters, trotros and taxis share the same lanes, and junctions such as the Flower Pot and Coca-Cola roundabouts become choke points. Residents often use the Tema Motorway or side roads to avoid the worst stretches.
Roadworks
Successive governments have promised upgrades, and sections have been widened or resurfaced. Drivers say each improvement brings temporary relief before more traffic arrives.
Flooding
Parts of the Spintex area flood during heavy rains, as development has covered natural drainage channels near the Sakumono wetlands. Some residents have learned to park vehicles on higher ground when storms are forecast.
Living there
For people who work in Tema or along the corridor, Spintex offers a practical base. For those commuting into central Accra, the daily drive can be exhausting. Rents vary widely, from modest apartments to large family homes in gated communities.
The future
Plans for better public transport and road links have been discussed for years. Until they arrive, Spintex will remain a place where factories and families compete for the same tarmac.
Spintex Road’s name still points back to a textile factory. The people stuck in its evening traffic are mostly heading home.
