Omanghana
The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has instructed the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE) to ensure that buses operating under its new contra-flow system depart strictly according to advertised schedules.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting with heads of agencies and development partners in Accra, the Minister said reliable departure times must be central to the service, which seeks to shorten journeys during peak traffic periods.
He cautioned against the practice of keeping passengers waiting at terminals until buses are full. A bus scheduled to depart at 6:15 a.m., he explained, should leave at that time regardless of the number of passengers on board.
Ayariga said the initiative should also encourage greater respect for time, with consistent scheduling helping commuters plan their journeys and trust the service.
The contra-flow arrangement allows authorised Aayalolo buses to use designated road sections against the usual direction of traffic under controlled conditions. GAPTE is implementing the system in collaboration with the Department of Urban Roads and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service.
Operations cover the morning peak period from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and the evening period from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The service targets three major commuter corridors linking surrounding communities to Accra’s Central Business District: Amasaman–Accra, Adentan–Accra and Kasoa–Accra.
Although some commuters initially raised concerns about delays at boarding points, GAPTE Managing Director Awudu Dawuda said the priority arrangement had significantly reduced time spent travelling.
According to Dawuda, a journey on the Adentan–Accra corridor that would ordinarily take about two and a half hours in traffic was completed in just 23 minutes on the first day of implementation.
The Minister’s directive places additional emphasis on terminal operations, ensuring that the time saved on the road is supported by dependable departures at boarding stations.
Source: Omanghana
