Attempts to replicate a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in the country as an efficient public transportation structure to reduce traffic congestion appears illusive.
Under both the Mahama and Akufo-Addo administrations, the well-intended social intervention programme has moved at a snail’s pace.
The system operating under the brand name ‘Aayalolo’, a Ga word which means “we’re still on our way,” has not served its purpose as many of the buses have been abandoned, and left under the vagaries of the weather for years.
Operators of the buses, the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE), are struggling to bear the cost of managing the fleet.
During a visit to the Achimota New Station, where the buses are parked, the TV3 news team observed weeds on the concrete tiles. Some residents, traders and workers nearby have also turned a wire mesh being used as a fence into drying lines.
Major challenges
One of the problems militating against the efficient operations of the buses is the encroachment of some of the terminals by ‘trotro’ -mini bus drivers.
This is despite earlier sensitization efforts by GAPTE as the situation persists, dealing a major blow to the system.
In March this year, the Minister of Transport Kwaku Ofori Asiamah told journalists at media encounter that the high cost of operations, maintenance (spare parts) and traffic congestions in the national capital as some of the major challenges.
He further noted that the model of running the ‘Aayalolo’ buses in Ghana is not working.
“Over the years, we have tried to streamline its operations but it has not yielded the needed dividend,” the Minister added.
In view of that, he said his Ministry was working closely with the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Decentralisation and other key stakeholders to develop a new model to revive the operations of the transport company.
“We have come to the conclusion that ‘Aayalolo’ is not working. What happens on the streets of London is not the same in the streets of Accra,” Mr. Asiamah lamented.
In 2018, the immediate past Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, said the challenges facing the company running the ‘Aayalolo’ bus service could be partly attributed to the previous Mahama government.
He contended that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration purchased too many buses in excess of what was needed, ahead of the rollout of the service.
“The government also exceeded the World Bank’s recommended expenditure ahead of the piloting of the programme on the Amasaman-Accra corridor. According to the World Bank, which did a study, the number of buses the central government was supposed to buy to be on the project was around 80 buses or so…”
“Unfortunately, the central government took the decision and bought three times more than the number of the buses at the cost of two-and-a-half times more than what the World Bank suggested to us,” he said on Accra-based Citi FM.
Officials decline TV3 interview
Following the discovery of the poor state in which many of the buses find themselves, attempts were made to get official responses from the Local Government Ministry, and operators of the buses.
All of them refused to grant any interview.
On the part of the Local Government Minister, Dan Botwe, he stated that plans are far advanced concerning the operations of the buses; yet, he would not want to make any official comment.
Background
Government secured 245 buses from the Scannia Group of Sweden in 2016 to operate a bus rapid transit system.
The buses, with the capacity to take over 80 passengers, are equipped with GPS, cameras, television monitors and mobile charging points.
It was a system meant to help deal with the challenges associated with transportation.
The buses were also to help in diverse ways including the reduction in travel time along the busy corridors, which would be a major advantage to workers.
Currently, the Aayalolo buses operate from Amasaman to Accra, Adenta to Accra, Kasoa to Accra, and on few other major roads.
Even with that, there are not enough dedicated lanes for their operations; so, they equally join the regular traffic – defeating the initial purpose for their operations.
As it stands, Ghana’s bus rapid transit arrangement appears to be a waste of resources as it has failed to serve its intended purpose.