Metro Mass Transit determined to thrive

Sunyani, March 18, GNA - Mr. Henk Visschers, Managing Director of Metro Mass Transit Company Limited, on Wednesday, expressed the determination of management to help build a sustainable public transport system in the country.

"We are in the business to assist Ghana to get a proper public transport system", he told journalists, after addressing 118 inspectors of the company, attending a training workshop in Sunyani. The managing director noted that since he assumed duty in July 2007, the management of the company had worked steadily to reduce costs, stop the incident of stealing earnings and to improve the quality of service rendered by the company.

"We want to improve road safety, reduce fuel consumption, stop the stealing, improve service to passengers and ensure organizational improvement," Mr. Visschers said.

Mr. Visschers recounted that labour unrest (illegal strikes by staff), and a 37 billion cedi-debt owed to Ghana Oil Company (Goil), their main fuel supplier, at the end of May 2007, almost collapsed the company.

"We are now repaying the debt and by June this year, we hope to pay it off in view of positive cash inflows," he said, adding the company hoped to break even by the end of the year. The managing director commended the inspectors for working assiduously towards the achievement of the company's goal to offer quality and improved public transport service in the region. Mr. Visschers gave the assurance that the management would not relent in efforts to ensure improved conditions of service for staff of the company and urged the inspectors to redouble efforts to sustain the momentum.

He later in the day paid a courtesy call on Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister.