Haroun Apaw‑Wiredu, Deputy Managing Director of Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMTL), has raised serious concerns about Ghana’s urban transport challenges.
Speaking on the popular current‑affairs programme, Apaw‑Wiredu described the ongoing urban transport crisis as symptomatic of deeper operational and systemic problems affecting public transport in the country. He highlighted significant revenue leakages and a severe shortage of serviceable buses as key factors undermining efficient urban mobility.
According to Apaw‑Wiredu, audits of recent operations at MMTL revealed unprecedented levels of financial leakage, prompting internal reforms and a shake‑up of the company’s audit unit. He said the draft audit findings have already been forwarded to the appropriate authorities to begin prosecutorial action where necessary.
On the root causes of the crisis, he pointed to the procurement of buses under previous management that were unsuitable for Ghana’s operating conditions, describing the purchases as “a nightmare” that contributed to the current shortage of functional vehicles. Apaw‑Wiredu noted that hundreds of buses were declared unserviceable and in some cases sold off at minimal prices, further depleting the national fleet.
He also stressed that focusing solely on road transport without strengthening institutional capacity and fleet reliability will not resolve the crisis, suggesting that comprehensive reforms across policy, operations, and fleet management are needed to improve urban commuting.
Apaw‑Wiredu’s comments come amid widespread public frustration over limited bus services, long commuter queues, and rising transport costs in cities such as Accra and Kumasi, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated solutions to Ghana’s urban transport challenges.
