Editorial: Public Transport Wahala-Time To Act Is Now

The decision by some high-ranking public officials to board public transport, popularly known as ‘tro-tro’ in order to have a taste of what the ordinary Ghanaian goes through on a daily basis, has been lauded by the public as a show of good leadership.

The act, which took place on the National Day of Public Transport on Wednesday, would go down in history as a remarkable one, as the Minister of Roads and Highways, together with other public officials, sat in buses and paid the normal fares.

Much as the public display of good leadership is very welcome, The Catalyst would like to add its voice to many Ghanaians, who believe that it is not enough to demonstrate government’s commitment at solving the numerous problems in public transportation system in the country. Most of the times, politicians use such acts to create the impression they sympathize with the ordinary man and are willing to address their problems. However, after some time, they abandon them, as they go back to the “comfort of office”: air-conditioned cars and offices, with all the other benefits.

After going through the ordeal of the ordinary man, it is expected that sector Ministers would put in place pragmatic measures to address the numerous problems facing the sector. Expansion and repair of roads, provision of more buses with lower fares, among others, are some of the expectations of the public. Government officials ought to know that the public is also watching and would give out their verdict at the appropriate time. With only ten months in government, the Mills Administration has the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to solving the problems bedeviling the sector. The mistake of thinking there is more time would not help since time waits for no man. The public ought to see that something practical is being done, else when their turn comes, the government would laugh at the wrong side of their mouth. The time to act is now.