Q1 Graphic Business/Stanbic Bank Breakfast Meeting tomorrow - Experts to discuss Ghana’s urban transport system
The maiden edition of this year’s Graphic Business/Stanbic Bank Breakfast Meeting will take place tomorrow on the theme: “Why resetting Ghana’s urban transport system is an economic necessity”.
The event which will attract policymakers, regulators, transport operators, financial institutions, urban planners and development partners will suggest ways by which the government can accelerate efforts for the necessary reforms to modernise the country’s urban transport architecture to drive economic growth and improve productivity.
Speakers for the event include an Associate Professor at the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. Enoch F. Sam, the Head of Financial Advisory and Equity Capital Markets (Corporate and Investment Banking) at Stanbic Bank Ghana, Isaac Simpson, and the General Secretary of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Godfred Abulbire.
The meeting at the plush Labadi Beach Hotel will examine how a reset of the system through structured bus rapid transit systems, better regulation of commercial transport operators, digital ticketing, improved infrastructure and enhanced private sector participation could unlock economic value.
Participants are also expected to explore sustainable financing models and the role of financial institutions in supporting fleet renewal and infrastructure development.
It will feature presentations from industry experts and thought leaders, followed by a moderated discussion to enable participants to share perspectives and propose practical solutions.
Context
Urban transport remains a major challenge in Ghana’s rapidly growing cities, particularly Accra and Kumasi, where congestion, unreliable public transport services and weak enforcement of traffic regulations continue to impose significant economic costs.
Other challenges include the non-availability of means of public transport during rush hours in particular, and high fares relative to the recent consistent drop in fuel prices.
It is estimated that hours lost in traffic, high vehicle operating costs and inefficiencies in mass transit systems collectively result in millions of cedis in lost productivity annually.
Profile of panelists
Enoch F. Sam is an Associate Professor of Transport Geography with over 11 years of experience researching and delivering social research into practice in traffic safety, public transport safety management, traffic behaviour of vulnerable road users, traffic enforcement and policing, inclusive transport and sustainable urban mobility planning.
His research utilises mixed-methods approaches, though he is quantitatively inclined. He continues to deliver high-impact projects and consultancy services in sustainable urban mobility, traffic safety and other transport-related phenomena.
He is a recipient of multiple donor-funded grants and one of the top 1,000 research scientists in Ghana, ranked by the Alper-Doger (AD) Scientific Index.
The event is being streamed live on Facebook and other social media platforms of Graphic and Stanbic Bank.