100 new Metro Mass buses not meant for Accra commuters yet – Transport Minister explains

The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has explained that the 100 Metro Mass Transit buses recently commissioned by the government were not acquired specifically to ease the transportation difficulties currently facing commuters in Accra.

His comment follows public expectations that the new buses would be deployed immediately within the capital to help reduce the growing challenges associated with public transport, and also concerns from many residents of Accra who had anticipated that the newly commissioned fleet would be deployed directly to address the persistent shortage of public transport services in the capital.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, June 8,2026, he said the buses are instead being distributed across the various regions to replace existing Metro Mass vehicles currently operating there.

According to him, the move forms part of a broader strategy to free up larger-capacity buses from the regions and redeploy them for intercity transport services.

“These new buses are 29-seater buses, and we are assigning them to all regions and bringing all the high occupancy buses from those regions into the intercity arrangement, and so we have received some of the high occupancy buses, and we are refurbishing them,” he stated.

Joseph Bukari Nikpe further disclosed that the government has already started receiving some of the larger buses from the regions, with refurbishment works currently underway to prepare them for operations in urban centers.

He noted that the rehabilitation exercise is expected to improve transport services within cities once the buses are returned to service.

“We have so far received 10 buses from the regions, and they are currently at the workshop for refurbishing to be delivered somewhere next week for intercity operations,” he added.

However, government officials maintain that the current arrangement will ultimately strengthen transportation services nationwide while increasing the number of high-capacity buses available for city operations.

ANAS/SA

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