Former Accra Mayor Mohammed Adjei Sowah has urged the government to dedicate one lane on the city’s major roads exclusively for high‑occupancy buses. He said the move would reduce the number of vehicles needed to move the same number of passengers and make public transport faster and more efficient.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue, Mr Sowah warned that the city cannot be managed by promoting smaller vehicles such as trotros. He argued that Accra should prioritise buses capable of carrying large numbers of passengers instead of continuing to rely heavily on smaller vehicles and minibuses.
Using the Accra‑Adenta corridor as an example, he noted that the road already has enough space for a dedicated bus lane without requiring additional infrastructure. “If you look at the Adenta stretch, it’s almost a five lane. You have three main lanes and then two outer lanes. So, you don’t need an additional infrastructure,” he said.
Mr Sowah proposed that one of the existing lanes be reserved for buses, stressing that the move would require political commitment and effective enforcement. “Take one lane out of the five lane and dedicate it to the buses. How difficult would this be?” he asked.
He added that the proposal should not be left to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly alone, arguing that the Roads Ministry, police and other relevant institutions have distinct responsibilities in implementing and enforcing such a policy.
The mayor’s call comes amid growing calls for improved public transport in Accra, with officials and civil society groups seeking solutions to the city’s chronic traffic congestion.
