The General Secretary of the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC), Emmanuel Ohene Yeboah, has dismissed claims that commercial drivers and transport operators are deliberately parking vehicles to create artificial shortages and hike transport fares.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (15 January), Yeboah said congestion, weak road infrastructure and policy failures—not sabotage by drivers—were responsible for the persistent passenger build-up witnessed during peak hours, particularly in Accra.
“I disagree with the suggestion that drivers are deliberately creating artificial shortages,” he said. “What benefit does any operator gain by refusing to carry passengers? That assertion is not right.”
He explained that increased urban population growth, coupled with poorly managed transport infrastructure, has significantly slowed vehicle turnaround times. According to him, several designated bus stops in the central business district (CBD) have been taken over by traders, making it difficult for vehicles to load and move efficiently.
“A trip that should take one hour can now take two hours during rush hour. When that happens, passengers pile up faster, and it creates the impression of a shortage,” he said.
Yeboah also pointed to the underutilisation of publicly owned buses as a major contributor to the problem. He noted that several large-capacity “Ayalolo” buses remain parked at terminals such as Achimota, Kingsway, Ofankor and others, instead of being deployed to supplement private operators.
“If these buses were on the road, they would significantly ease the pressure. One large bus can carry up to 100 passengers, reducing the number of vehicles needed at peak times,” he said.
He argued that government support for mass transit had declined, leaving operators without the financial capacity to acquire high-capacity buses that could efficiently serve dense urban routes.
Yeboah further criticised Metro Mass Transit for shifting its focus from metropolitan routes to long-distance intercity travel, stressing that the company was established primarily to serve urban transport needs.
“Metro Mass is supposed to be a metropolitan transport service, but now they are running Accra to Bolgatanga, Accra to Kumasi and other long routes. That shift has affected availability within the city,” he said.
Reacting to the decision by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to deploy a task force to monitor and sanction drivers allegedly engaging in unlawful practices, Mr Yeboah said internal regulation was welcome but noted that most transport terminals are controlled by the same unions.
“If they are addressing issues internally, that is fine. But the same people who manage the terminals are also the ones on the roads,” he said.
On the planned meeting between the Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, and transport operators, Mr Yeboah said the council expected discussions to focus on restructuring urban transport operations, reviving mass transit, improving arterial roads and supporting the private sector to acquire larger buses.
“We need a holistic solution—better roads, reorganisation of public transport agencies and financial support to bring more high-capacity buses onto the roads,” he said.
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