Committee to implement BRT inaugurated
A 14-member governing body to facilitate the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) transportation system by December 2014, was inaugurated in Accra yesterday. The BRT will begin with 86 buses.
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The committee, Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE), a harmonised transport regulatory body, has been tasked to transform the transport system in Accra.
The formation of the committee is in line with the implementation of the public mass transit system to ease mobility in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA).
Its immediate function is to oversee the roll-out of the BRT transportation system initially on the Accra (Tudu)-Amasaman corridor.
GAPTE will, among others, plan and regulate passenger transportation in the metropolis, plan the provision of infrastructure under BRT and contract BRT operators.
The committee is headed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuye.
Swearing in the committee members at a ceremony in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Julius Debrah, expressed the hope that the competences of individual members would together address the numerous challenges facing passenger transport, particularly in the national capital.
He said operators, including the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), had established private limited liability companies to that effect and had begun engagements with bus suppliers and financial institutions to acquire the buses needed to operate the BRT transportation system.
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Mr Debrah disclosed that a team was currently in Brazil, inspecting buses that had been recommended for the operation of the BRT.
Payment System
The Minister of Transport, Ms Dzifa Attivor, said that the BRT transportation system would use a cashless payment system to seal all revenue leakages.
According to her, a technology-based payment system, which would be facilitated by the mobile phone platform, would be used.
She lauded the project and identified quick, efficient, reliable and comfort means of transportation that the BRT system was intended to provide as very crucial to national development.
Ms Attivor said such a system would reduce productive time lost in long hours of traffic jam which affected national development.
Members of the committee
The members of the committee are Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten - Tema Metropolitan Assembly, Mr John Kwao Sackey - Ga East Municipal Assembly, Mr Sam Atukwei Quaye - Ga West Municipal Assembly, Mr Jerry Akwei Thompson - Ga South Municipal Assembly, Mr Aristo Aryee - Ga Central Municipal Assembly and Rita Odoley Sowah, representing the La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly.
Other members are Mr Franklin Pythias Anku from the La Nkwantanan Madina Municipal Assembly, Mr Benjamin Baroson Angenu - the Adentan Municipal Assembly, Mr Adams Nuhu from the Awutu-Senya Municipal Assembly and Mr Seth Badu Tawiah from the Ledzorkuku Krowor Municipal Assembly.
The rest are Alhaji E.A.Tetteh representing the Kpone Katamanso Municipal Assembly, Mr Ibrahim Baidoo from the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly and Mr Samson Gyamera, the Managing Director of GAPTE.