Edudzi Tameklo describes transport challenges as ‘manufactured crisis’

The Director of Legal Affairs of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, has described the recent transport challenges affecting parts of Accra as a “miraculous” or manufactured crisis, questioning claims that the situation emerged suddenly.

Speaking on the issue, Tameklo traced the current difficulties to decisions taken under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, particularly in relation to the management of the Aayalolo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

According to him, President John Dramani Mahama in 2016 procured about 250 buses to support the Aayalolo system as part of efforts to improve urban mass transportation.

However, he alleged that by the end of the Akufo-Addo administration in 2024, the fleet had been reduced to just 87 operational buses.

Tameklo questioned why officials and communicators of the former administration are now raising alarm over a transport crisis, barely a year after leaving office, when the decline in the bus fleet occurred under their stewardship.

“How does a crisis suddenly become ‘miraculous’ when the depletion of the buses happened over several years?” he queried.

He maintained that the current government inherited a weakened public transport system and is working to address longstanding structural and logistical challenges rather than presiding over a new crisis.

Tameklo urged the public to assess the situation within its proper historical context and called for constructive engagement as the government takes steps to restore and strengthen mass transport delivery in the country.