Transport analyst Dr. Elvis Kyere-Gyeabour has stressed that the effective deployment of the newly acquired fleet of 100 29-seater buses along high-demand routes will be crucial in tackling Ghana’s transport challenges. He cautioned that the government must avoid repeating the mismanagement that plagued the Aayalolo bus system introduced in 2015.
His remarks follow the announcement by Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, confirming the arrival of the buses as part of measures to ease recent commuter difficulties. Speaking to Citi News, Dr. Kyere-Gyeabour emphasised that the vehicles must be allocated strategically, maintained regularly, and managed transparently to achieve the desired impact.
“The key issue we must all pay attention to is how these buses will be distributed, utilised, and maintained. If you recall the Bus Rapid Transit initiative, later branded as the quality bus service, nearly 300 buses were procured. Yet, in the end, many of them were grounded and left unused. It is therefore vital to ensure these new buses are properly managed,” he noted.
“Which route are they going to ply? How are they going to be used? Are they going to be owned solely by the state agencies and enterprises? In the end, it is how these buses will be deployed that will tell whether they can be an effective solution to the transport problem that we are experiencing, not only in Accra, but in other urban areas around the country.”
Source: Kabah Atawoge
