The Vice President, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged the Managers of Metro Mass Transit (MMT) to ensure proper maintenance of the newly donated 100 buses to guarantee efficiency, reliability, and long-term service delivery.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony of the recently procured buses, the Vice President cautioned that unless the country departs from its long-standing poor maintenance culture, the initiative could become counter-productive and fail to achieve its intended purpose.
She further stressed the importance of a strong maintenance culture in sustaining national investment and improving public transport services.
“Please maintain these buses well, eliminate waste and leakages. The public deserves our respect. Please serve the public with courtesy and efficiency. The government will continue to invest in public transport, which is an investment in all our sectors: productivity, safety, and social equity,” she advised.
According to Prof Opoku-Agyemang, the government’s decision to retool the MMT forms part of its broader objective of enhancing an effective operationalization of public transport which she said is central to the Ghana’s economy.
This, she added will not only enhance efficient movement of people, goods, and services but also be a main driver of the country’s economy.
“Our aim is to decrease dependence on unreliable, unsafe, and overly expensive transport options. These buses will increase carrying capacity, extend service to more communities, reduce pressure on commuters, and provide them with a more dignified experience. So, the next test is execution, and I have no doubt that you will rise to the occasion,” she said.
Transport Minister, Joseph Likpe expressed the hope that these new fleets will enhance operations of Metro Mass Transit and cushion commuters.
“100 buses are not a small thing to do. And it’s huge because this will connect us to our workplaces, this will connect us to our markets, this will connect us to our schools, and this will get us to wherever we want to go in a safe manner. Metro Mass has been over the years working hard to ensure that the service the Ghanaian system, with difficulties when we took over. Even the guarantee of salaries on time was a difficulty. With the support and encouragement from His Excellency the President and your visit today, I get reports from Metro Mass that that is not a difficulty any longer. Meaning, we are growing,” he said.
The Minister further urged the workers at MMT to work hard as the company will soon take delivery of further 200 buses to enhance their operations.
“Today, we are here to commission 100, waiting 200. It is not for us to take pride of this, but it is for us to continue the hard work that has brought us to today, and that is why our drivers and the mechanical workshop engineers are very, very, very important and critical to this commissioning, that the handing of these 100 buses will enable us to be able to bring in the rest of the 200 buses,” he charged.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
