‘We focus too much on roads’ – Prof. Sam pushes for integrated transport overhaul
An Associate Professor at the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. Enoch F. Sam, has urged Ghana to adopt a fully integrated transport system, warning that the country’s overwhelming dependence on road transport is limiting efficiency and exposing commuters and businesses to avoidable risks.
Speaking at the Graphic–Stanbic Bank Breakfast Meeting on February 24 on the theme “Why resetting Ghana’s urban transport system is an economic necessity,” Prof. Sam said a strategic shift was required to harness rail and other transport options that remain underutilised.
“We should implement an integrated transport system. In Ghana, we focus so much on road transport, often to the detriment of others. We have rail and other options, and these are areas we should also be banking our hopes on so that we can get the best out of them,” he said.
He cautioned that transporting a wide range of goods exclusively by road, including hazardous materials, poses safety and efficiency challenges.
“If you go to other countries, some of the goods we transport on the road naturally should not be on the road. Some are even hazardous. If we have other modes, these could go on them, while freeing road space for passenger commuting,” Prof. Sam explained.
Beyond infrastructure choices, he stressed that any reset of the transport sector must be guided by research and clear policy priorities.
“In terms of budgeting, especially in this era of resetting, we need to understand what is happening. First, what is our priority? What are we seeking to achieve? As someone from academia, I will always push for data and science, and that is what we fail at in this country,” he said.
Drawing on his academic experience in Belgium, Prof. Sam highlighted the importance of collaboration between universities and industry in solving real-world problems.
“I studied in Belgium, and there, private-sector industries would bring resources to the university and say, ‘This is a problem we see. What can you do for us? Give us data, conduct research, so that we can find a solution.’ We cannot solve problems without first understanding their root causes,” he noted.
He further argued that transport planning must reflect the varied needs and travel patterns of citizens, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Prof. Sam concluded that any meaningful reset of Ghana’s urban transport system must prioritise efficiency, safety and evidence-based decision-making, ensuring that all available modes of transport are fully integrated to drive productivity and economic growth.
