The Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has introduced electric buses for public transit in the country.

Dr. Bawumia launched the first batch of electric buses, set to be piloted in Accra, at a colorful ceremony on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

The buses run on electricity, powered by charging systems instead of fuel. With the elimination of fuel costs and reduced maintenance expenses, the cost of public transportation on these electric buses is expected to decrease significantly—by 40% to 50%.

Speaking at the historic launch, Dr. Bawumia described the event as the beginning of a new era for the public transport sector and a demonstration of a "possibility mindset."

"Today, we are making history with the commissioning of these electric buses. It represents a visionary shift in how we approach public transport. Today, we are taking a definitive step towards revolutionizing the transport sector with sustainability and innovation at its core," Dr. Bawumia said, highlighting the positive impact of electric buses on the environment.

"Today, we are setting the stage for the future and aligning our interventions with global best practices. The use of fossil fuel-powered vehicles, its impact on climate change and air pollution, are no longer distant threats but urgent realities that demand immediate action."

Economic Benefit

When Dr. Bawumia announced the introduction of the electric buses earlier this year, he said his ultimate objective was to reduce the cost of transportation, and at the launch, he highlighted the economic benefit of the buses to Ghanaians.

"The economic benefits of using electric buses cannot be overemphasized. Electric buses, as we know, offer lower operating and maintenance costs compared to conventional diesel buses," he said.

"The use of the electric bus will, therefore, translate into more efficient use of resources and cut operational costs by about 50% to the benefit of passengers. Metro Mass will be better positioned to enhance services, lower transport fares, and invest in fleet renewal and expansion efforts," Dr. Bawumia said.

He revealed that from analysis done by stakeholders, cost of public transport on the newly launched buses will go down by at least 40%, due to the significant cut in operational cost, which is pegged at around 50%.

Mindset Of Possibility

Dr. Bawumia noted that the successful introduction of the electric buses, achieved in the face of pessimism from certain quarters, reflects the mindset of possibilities, which he has often talked about.

"As usual, many said it was not possible. They said it was an election promises that would not be fulfilled. But that has been their mindset of impossibilities over the past 8 years."

"I was not surprised when the naysayers poo-pooed the idea of electric vehicles. I had no doubt in my mind that this was possible. If other countries could deploy electric buses, why not Ghana," he said.

The commissioning marked the first phase of the electric buses initiative, which will start on the Adenta - Accra and Ashaiman - Accra routes.

He said more buses will be added next year which will expand the initiative to other parts of the country.