100 New Metro Mass Buses to Replace Regional Fleet, Not Directly Solve Accra Transport Challenges – Transport Minister

Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has clarified that the 100 newly commissioned buses for Metro Mass Transit Limited are primarily intended to replace existing buses operating in the regions rather than provide an immediate solution to transportation difficulties in Accra.

His comments follow concerns from commuters in the capital who had anticipated that the new fleet would be deployed directly to ease congestion and improve public transport services within Accra and other major urban centres.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on June 8, the minister explained that the buses form part of a broader nationwide strategy aimed at improving public transportation while creating an opportunity to redeploy larger-capacity vehicles for intra-city operations.

According to him, the newly acquired 29-seater buses are being distributed across all regions to replace high-occupancy buses currently operating there. Once replaced, the larger buses will be withdrawn from the regions and reassigned to serve busy urban routes.

Nikpe noted that the government has already begun receiving some of these high-capacity buses from various regions and has initiated refurbishment works to prepare them for redeployment.

He revealed that several of the buses are currently undergoing maintenance and rehabilitation to ensure they are roadworthy before returning to service.

The minister disclosed that 10 high-occupancy buses have so far been retrieved and sent to workshops for refurbishment. He indicated that the vehicles are expected to be ready for deployment on intra-city routes within the coming weeks.

According to the ministry, the initiative is designed to strengthen transportation services nationwide while improving urban mobility through the strategic use of larger buses in areas with higher passenger demand.

The government believes the approach will help optimise the existing Metro Mass Transit fleet, improve operational efficiency and provide better public transport services for commuters across the country.