The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has called for the revival and restructuring of Ghana’s Ayalolo rapid bus transport system as part of efforts to reduce traffic congestion in major cities.
According to him, Ayalolo must operate as a genuinely rapid and reliable public transport service capable of moving commuters quickly between residential communities and city centres.
Speaking during a visit to the Ayalolo bus terminal, Mr Ayariga said rapid mobility had become a major challenge in cities such as Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Tamale.
He attributed the persistent congestion partly to the concentration of government institutions, businesses, markets, hospitals and other services within limited geographical areas, resulting in large numbers of people travelling in the same direction during peak hours.
He said while expanding road networks and creating alternative routes remained important, government must also improve public transport to reduce the number of private vehicles on the roads.
Mr Ayariga said he would engage the ministries of Transport, Roads and Interior, as well as the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate, to develop measures that would make Ayalolo buses faster and more attractive to commuters.
“People will only use the rapid transport system if, indeed, they are rapid,” he said, stressing that Ayalolo must offer a clear advantage over conventional public transport.
One of the proposals under consideration is the use of dedicated lanes for Ayalolo buses during peak hours.
Mr Ayariga suggested that between 6am and 9am, one lane on the opposite side of selected major roads could be temporarily dedicated to Ayalolo buses to allow them to move quickly towards areas with high passenger demand.
He said personnel from the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate could accompany the buses on motorcycles to provide traffic support and advance warning to other road users.
He identified routes such as Adenta, Accra Central, Kasoa, Accra Central, Nsawam, Accra Central and Accra, Tema as potential major corridors where such arrangements could be explored.
He emphasised, however, that the proposals were not yet government policy but ideas that would be discussed with relevant stakeholders.
The Minister also proposed a similar arrangement during the evening peak period, suggesting that transport operators could prepare to run enhanced services between 4pm and 7pm.
Mr Ayariga argued that the success of the system would depend largely on reliability.
He said commuters would be more willing to abandon their private vehicles if they could depend on Ayalolo to get them to their destinations significantly faster than vehicles caught in regular traffic.
He cited his experience in Istanbul, where dedicated bus routes allow public transport vehicles to move rapidly even when other motorists are stuck in traffic.
He said Ghana could develop a similar system and ultimately construct dedicated routes for rapid buses if the service proves successful and attracts the necessary investment.
The Minister further called on metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to take greater responsibility for public transport within their jurisdictions.
He argued that efficient transportation should be considered an essential municipal service, alongside sanitation and other services provided to residents.
According to him, assemblies must fully exploit their revenue sources, including rates and levies, to generate the resources needed to invest in efficient public transport systems.
He said a well-organised public transport network could make it possible for residents to live and work in major cities without necessarily owning private vehicles.
Mr Ayariga also proposed reorganising the movement of intercity buses by establishing major terminals on the outskirts of cities.
Under the proposal, passengers arriving from other regions would alight at designated terminals and use rapid intracity buses to continue into the city.
He believes such an arrangement could reduce the number of intercity vehicles entering congested city centres and help ease pressure on existing roads.
He said cities could significantly reduce congestion through better organisation and management of existing infrastructure instead of relying solely on the construction of new roads, which he described as expensive.
Mr Ayariga said he was confident the Ayalolo system could be fixed and urged the relevant ministries and agencies to work together to make the service efficient and dependable.
He is expected to continue discussions with the Transport Minister and other stakeholders on measures to revive the system and improve public transportation in Ghana’s major cities.
By Jospeh Armstrong Gold-Alorgbey
