Floods wreck havoc at Metro Mass Headquarters

Accra, July 8, GNA - Floods which have hit some parts of Accra since Monday have once again resulted in huge losses to the Metro Mass Transit Limited headquarters located at Kaneshie.

Some of the items which were affected include documents, computers and oil filters. The flood waters, which were about three feet high, also affected an underground tank used to store diesel, the drivers' rest rooms, warehouse some offices and a fence wall.

Video clips shown to the media during a tour by Mr Mike Hammah, Minister of Transport, to assess the situation on Tuesday showed the whole compound and buses submerged by the floods.

Mr Hammah expressed worry about the situation and urged the company's management to seriously consider relocation due to the waterlogged nature of the area.

The Minister also expressed worry about the 195 buses of the company which had broken down and urged the company to furnish the ministry with a complete policy on its activities for review. "As it stands now, it is the government that buys the buses for the company and yet the company pays nothing back," Mr Hammah said. According to the minister, government intended to purchase some high occupancy vehicles to take care of the growing traveling public. Mr Hank Visshcers, Managing Director of Metro Mass Transit Ltd., thanked the minister for the visit.

He announced that they had a programme to start a training school for the company's drivers at Kpone near Tema. Mr Visshcers told the minister that the company would turn some of the broken down buses which were beyond repair into scrap and use some of the parts to service other vehicles.

The minister's visit also took him to Government Technical Training Centre, an institution which trains mechanics, to acquaint himself with the school and the floods which also affected the area. The floods that hit the school affected some classrooms, offices, documents, the training centre and a transformer.

Mr Edward Laryea, Principal of the school, cited inadequate structure, lack of space for expansion, inadequate funding and late release of funds for projects as some of the challenges facing the institution.

"The school also faces a tedious task in getting placement in firms for students on attachment, perennial flooding and retention of our tutors."

The minister praised the school for the critical role that it plays in the transport sector and promised to liaise with the Ministry of Education, one of the two ministries that the school falls under, to see how best to address the issues raised.