Strategic Deployment Key to Success of New Buses, Analyst Warns
Dr. Elvis Kyere-Gyeabour cautions government to avoid repeating failures of the Aayalolo Bus System as 100 new buses arrive
- Felix Kwakye Ofosu announces arrival of 100 new 29-seater buses to ease transport challenges
- Analyst stresses importance of proper route planning, maintenance, and transparent management
- Past failures of the Aayalolo Bus System cited as a cautionary example
A transport analyst, Dr. Elvis Kyere-Gyeabour, has urged authorities to carefully manage and deploy the newly acquired fleet of 100 minibuses to avoid repeating past failures in Ghana’s public transport system.
His remarks come after Felix Kwakye Ofosu announced that the 29-seater buses had arrived as part of government efforts to ease ongoing transport challenges across the country.
Dr. Kyere-Gyeabour emphasized that the real impact of the buses will depend on how effectively they are allocated to busy routes, properly maintained, and transparently managed. Without a clear strategy, he warned, the initiative risks falling short of expectations.
He referenced the shortcomings of the Aayalolo Bus System, which was launched in 2015 to improve urban mobility. Despite an initial fleet of nearly 300 buses under the Bus Rapid Transit concept—later rebranded as a quality bus service—many eventually became non-operational due to poor management and lack of maintenance.
According to him, key questions must be addressed: which routes the new buses will serve, who will operate them, and whether they will remain functional over time. He stressed that simply acquiring buses is not enough; their long-term usefulness depends on efficient planning and oversight.
Ultimately, he noted that the success of the initiative will be judged by how well the buses are utilized to reduce commuting difficulties—not only in Accra but in other growing urban centres as well.
