‘BRT will revolutionise public transport in Accra’

President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system will revolutionise public transport in Accra when the system becomes operational later this year.

He noted that one of the major drawbacks to the development of Accra as a modern city was that it lacked a proper public transport system.

"And so this is the beginning of a new modern public transport network for Accra," he said after inspecting the Ofankor terminal of the BRT last Tuesday as part of his “Accounting to the People tour” of the Greater Accra Region. 

Bus Rapid Transit

The implementation of the BRT system is in line with the government's commitment to improve the transport sector. 

Special buses that will avoid congested roads by plying dedicated routes to ensure fast movement within the metropolis are already in the country.

Achimota-Accra, Amasaman-Accra and Ofankor-Accra have been selected as routes for the first phase of the BRT system.

President Mahama was impressed with work done at the Ofankor terminal. 

The project is completed and is awaiting inauguration. 

The President said he would be back to launch the Ofankor-Accra route, which he said would be known as the "Ayalolo Bus Service".

He said the buses would move according to time, whether they were full or not.

"There will be two kinds of buses — the express bus, which will go direct, while the other buses will make stops on their routes.

"It's going to be a new system and you can use your mobile phone to pay the fare through mobile money," he added.

Ridge Hospital 

At the Ridge Hospital where he inspected work on the expansion project, President Mahama told a cheering crowd: "This is an iconic project and we will start to look at the phase two so that it becomes a living testimony of Ghana’s progress."

The expansion of the Ridge Hospital to become the Greater Accra Regional Hospital is in line with the government's quest to provide every region with an ultra-modern secondary-level referral regional hospital.

The new Ridge Hospital will ease pressure on the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Amasaman Mantse

At Amasaman, where the President paid a call on the chiefs of the area, the Amasaman Mantse, Nii Amasa Oseku II, hailed President Mahama's leadership.

"In fact, the essence of leadership is to provide positive change in the lives of the people," he said, and stressed that the President had so far lived up to expectation.

The chief described infrastructural projects that Amasaman had received under the Mahama administration as phenomenal. 

Large crowds of people, including supporters of the NDC, turned out to welcome the President. 

Nii Amasa mentioned the Awoshie-Pokuase road project as one of the remarkable achievements of the government in the area. 

In response, President Mahama said he would continue to work to better the lives of the people and named projects undertaken in the area to include those on water supply, roads, clinics and a market.