The Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has emphasised the government’s commitment to addressing the persistent transportation challenges faced by residents of Accra, while noting that the state cannot assume full control of the sector.

“Trotros have played a key role in our transport system over the years. Government cannot fully take over public transport,” Mr Kwakye Ofosu said during an interview on TV3 on January 17.

He added that the government remains committed to investing in public transportation to improve services for commuters.

Contributing to the discussion, University of Ghana finance lecturer, Professor Godfred Bokpin, described the harsh realities faced by urban workers, many of whom wake as early as 3:00am just to reach work on time.

“Some people sleep less than four hours every day. If you continue like that, your body will give up. The health implications are serious,” he said, highlighting the physical toll of long commutes.

Prof. Bokpin further explained that many workers arrive at their offices too exhausted to be productive immediately.

“They need time to cool down before they can even start working. This has been going on for years, but it has become more pronounced,” he said, noting that the situation underscores the urgent need for infrastructure development.

He stressed that Ghana’s transport crisis is a result of long-term poor planning, weak forecasting, and insufficient investment in infrastructure.

“What Ghanaians have been going through for years is a clear reflection of lack of planning. We have not taken time to analyse our rush hours, our travel patterns, and deploy targeted interventions,” Prof. Bokpin said, calling on the government to prioritise bold investment in transport systems even if it temporarily raises the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio.