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There was a massive gridlock on some major roads leading to Accra and the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, following the closure of some major roads in the national capital yesterday. The closure was necessitated by the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) on Ebola at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra. The scene from the Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout towards Accra was a procession of tail lights snaking their way down the road. Vehicles drove bumper-to-bumper with exhaust fumes belching out. The highway virtually became a giant parking lot. Varied colours and makes of vehicles, filled with people whose frustration with the pace simmered like the air outside, blended with the heat of the early morning sun. Commuters had to spend several hours in traffic, while the daring ones had to take detours through, sometimes, unapproved roads to arrive at their destinations. Continuation of journey on foot At certain points in time passengers were seen alighting from the various tro-tros to make the rest of their journey on foot. The highway starting from the Association School traffic intersection on the Independence Avenue to Movenpick in Accra was converted into a one-way segregated road to allow for the smooth passage of the convoys of the West African leaders attending the summit. Passengers aboard public transport expressed rage at the situation more so when some were informed that the traffic build-up was because of a meeting of Heads of State of ECOWAS on Ebola. �And they could not find any place to hold the meeting than in the heart of the city?� one apparently angry passenger blurted out. Police personnel detailed to maintain law and order, as well as supervise the traffic,made it difficult for anyone to defy the rules. The commuters, therefore, had no option but to endure the snail-pace traffic. Business boom for �Okada� riders However, it was a business boom for �Okada� riders who cashed in on the situation and started lining up along the major roads. Commuters who were in a hurry had to engage the services of the commercial motorbike riders. At some public lorry stations such as the Haatso Main Station, drivers informed passengers that they would not drive through the Legon highway through the 37 Military Hospital to Accra. Rather, they used the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) road through Dzorwulu, Nima to the Kanda overpass and then connected to the Ridge Roundabout to Accra. Police statement In a statement released last Tuesday, the Director General and Head of the Public Affairs Department of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), DCOP Reverend David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin, said in view of the meeting of Heads of State of ECOWAS some major roads in the city would be closed to traffic. It said traffic management strategies had been put in place to ensure sanity and security on all routes leading to the conference venue and other security zones. Advice to motorists The statement advised motorists to note the arrangements and plan alternative routes before embarking on their journey. It said traffic officers would be on standby to give assistance to motorists on alternative routes.