Senior Fellow at Africa Policy Lens Dr Joshua Jebuntie Zaato has taken to The Big Issue to ask why the 100 buses the government imported from Egypt are still not on Ghana’s streets, even as commuters face an 8% fare hike starting Saturday, September 26.
Zaato noted that the government had announced the purchase of about 200 buses from Egypt and that the first batch of 100 29‑seater vehicles for Metro Mass Transit (MMT) was due to arrive in April. He said he has seen social‑media posts of some of the buses parked in the same spot since they arrived, but has never seen them in service.
“Why are those buses on rocks? Why don’t we see them? I can say I’ve never seen any of them on the street,” Zaato said, pointing out the mismatch between the promised increase in transport capacity and the reality on the ground.
The government’s plan, unveiled in April, was to procure 300 29‑seater buses for MMT, with additional batches expected later in the year. The buses were intended to ease pressure on commuters and counter the impact of the fare rise.
As commuters are asked to pay higher fares, the lack of visible new buses raises questions about the effectiveness of the government’s transport strategy. The situation remains under scrutiny as the government explains the delay in deploying the imported vehicles.
