Local Government Minister pledges urgent action to ease Accra’s traffic congestion through improved public transport
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has embarked on a working tour of Ayalolo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) centres in Accra as part of efforts to revive and enhance the city’s public transportation system.
The Minister’s first stop was the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE) at Adenta, where he held discussions with the Managing Director on the current state of the service.
The Need for Urgent Reform
Ayariga emphasised that rapid urban population growth in Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, the Sekondi-Takoradi area, and emerging centres like Tamale demands immediate reforms in public transportation.
Having recently assumed office as sector minister, Ayariga stated his commitment to working diligently with agencies to address the challenges facing the Ayalolo system.
“I want to meet with my team and start a conversation involving a number of stakeholders to see if we can ease traffic in town by encouraging people to use the rapid transport system,” he said. “People will use the rapid system if indeed it is rapid. But if you call it rapid and it’s still moving at the pace of a trotro, no one will want to use it.”
A Call for Truly Rapid Transit
The Minister stressed that the service must offer an exceptional facility to citizens, which requires inter-ministerial collaboration.
“I am going to engage the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Ministry of Transport, and the Interior Ministry – under which the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTDi) falls – for us to figure out how to make this rapid. People within certain enclaves will then not try to go to town with their own vehicles; they will rather rely on this,” Ayariga explained.
Learning from Global Best Practices 
Ayariga noted that successful implementation would attract the necessary investment for expansion and long-term construction of dedicated routes.
“We should have our own dedicated route, as is the case in Istanbul, Turkey. There is a dedicated route for buses, and they are moving at top speed while you are in your car in traffic,” he observed.
Standing-Room Service by Design
The Minister clarified that the Ayalolo buses are designed primarily for standing passengers to facilitate rapid movement, with limited seating reserved for the elderly and disabled.
“The buses are meant for you to stand, not to sit. There are a few seats meant for the aged and disabled. The reason why you stand is because it’s supposed to be rapid,” he explained.
Terminal Visits Reveal Challenges
During the tour, the Minister visited the Achimota Ayalolo bus terminal, where he observed that many buses were damaged – a situation similar to what was witnessed at the Adenta terminal.
His final destination was the city centre around Makola, where commuters were actively using the Ayalolo bus services, demonstrating continued public interest in the system despite its challenges.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ecowasnewsonline.com
