Save Kumasi Metro Mass Transport now

Solving transportation problem is high on the agenda of every government whether small or large.

It is generally clear a reason why the TATA Bus services were introduced in the early days of our parliamentary democracy. This policy lived on at the time, I can vividly recall my first experience on board a TATA Bus from Kadjebi to Accra(my first day in Accra) it was a great experience.

Fast forward as a nation, in this digital age, we haven't been able to deal with our transportation problem.

In light of this challenge, the then President, John Agyekum Kuffour brought the idea of a metro mass transport system which has been nicknamed 'Kuffour bus'.

The idea was to economically support travellers and to also provide a safe, comfortable and reliable source of transportation to the ordinary citizen.

Since it's inception, this sector hasn't been spared at all of issues on massive and gargantuan corruption which saw the purchase of hitherto government buses by top officials (big men) in the company for their private use.

Today, the number of working busses has reduced from 127 to 23 at the Kumasi Metro Mass Transport company.

From Kumasi to Obuasi for instance, data from Management reveals that 1,247 people travel along Kumasi-Obuasi which rakes in an income of GHS 7,482 (a fare of GHS 6 by 1,247 passengers) daily. It is reported that only GHS 2,570 was entered in the books on 23rd May, 2018 (that is the only data I got my hands on). This number is served by only 1 bus.

It takes a time span of an hour to commute from Obuasi to Kumasi because of the poor nature of the road but on average, a passenger wastes one hour in queue waiting for the return of the one bus to travel an hour journey which has increased passenger time to two hours. Very pathetic.

Same are the sad stories at the 12 destination stations of the company in Kumasi. As for Kumasi to Sunyani it is a bizarre.

Aside the poor services served by the drivers, mates and the cashiers at the various terminals, the corruption at Management and the invisible hand that gets the busses spoilt every time, there is also clearly no respect for the physically changed at the place.

I will not be the only one who has seen the above but I will want to bring to the notice of authorities that, attention must be shifted to the place.

As a citizen not a spectator I will therefore suggest some solutions to curb the corruption, there should be a cashless transaction at the terminal, a special digital card should be developed for passengers to purchase and cash laoded on it to pay for transportation fares online. This may sound insane but I think it can be done.

Let's channel the billion of dollars on that card to help curb the corrupt deals at MMT-Kumasi before attempting to do a national ID card.

There must be a corruption-detector test for all workers of the company to weed out the bad nuts.

Moreover, proper supervision must also be intensified.

Let's come together to fight for Ghana.

The issues I raised May not be an expert knowledge or be a scene in the Anas video but it is real. Save Metro Mass Transport Now!

I shall come again!