The transport sector, a male-dominated industry and a source of income for many, has become a space where abuse thrives unchecked.

Every day, women navigate Ghana’s public transport system, as passengers, workers and vendors whose livelihoods depend on the busy lorry stations and terminals.

Yet, they endure constant harassment, being groped, shoved, insulted, and even assaulted by bus conductors, drivers, and passersby.

With female bus conductors, hawkers and even female passengers facing verbal and physical abuse, their experiences show a system where women are vulnerable and unprotected.

"It’s like being a woman selling at a lorry station, you have to be ready for you and your wares to be pushed and thrown away. You can be slapped, the men here touch you anyhow and make advances towards you. Some of the trotro drivers and mates talk to you badly. This is what we endure at the station. We have no permanent place for selling, so it will not end," says Akua Tiwaa, as she reaches for her blue basket on the ground.

She bends down once more to collect the loaves of bread scattered on the ground.

Akua is a bread hawker at Abinkyi Lorry Terminal in the Ashanti Region.

Today, on her daily routine of hawking near commercial vehicles, she was violently shoved over by a ‘trotro mate’

The loaves of bread along with her basket landed on the ground.

“Trotro’ is one of Ghana’s most common public transport vehicles, with the bus conductors commonly known as ‘trotro mate’ being predominantly male.

On November 30, 2024, Akua had her face struck at the terminal by one of the conductors, during an argument over her refusal to move her wares from the front of a stationary Urvan bus.

Akua’s experience is one of many, showing the physical abuse that women operating at transport yards face daily.

Public transport and safety

For Joyce Kpeglo, a 23-year-old university graduate, harassment is routine.

Daily, she boards a vehicle from Tech Junction, a popular bus stop near KNUST campus where she is doing her national service.

Tech Junction, though not a registered transport terminal, has become a stopover for public transport moving between Kumasi’s central business district and Ejisu or other adjoining towns.

Here, buses pause to pick up new passengers, creating a rush as conductors compete to fill their vehicles.

For many women, however, this stop is an uncomfortable space where aggressive touting often crosses into harassment.

The moment Joyce steps off the pedestrian bridge at Tech Junction, multiple bus conductors pull at her from different directions, urging her to board their vehicle.

 

In the scramble, some resort to inappropriate touching, while others take advantage of the confusion to steal valuables.

“It is very frightening. It is as if you are walking and all of a sudden, four men rush to surround you. All of them are screaming at the same time, Some will wrap their hands around your neck or your waist, others are pulling your bag. They make you lose concentration and distract you. I hate it,” she says.

Many women report losing their phones and belongings in the chaos, making Tech Junction a busy hub and a hotspot for both harassment and petty crime.

"Last week, I was about to board a trotro when one of the mates touched my arm and grazed my chest. The button of my shirt even opened. I told him to stop, and he asked if I thought I was too beautiful for him to touch, or am I special. He was like "I am very proud, so I should humble myself, because at the end of the day, it is a man of his type who will marry me," Joyce revealed.

It is not only the unwarranted physical contact, but words can be just as demeaning.

"The way they speak to us is different. Anytime they want to draw a man’s attention, they go like  ‘boss’ or ‘senior man,’ ‘father’ but for women, it’s always commands like ‘hurry up’ or ‘can’t you see the car is moving?’" Joyce observes.

Many women are not brave enough to engage in a confrontation so they choose silence as Akua Tiwaa’s experience shows.

"I wanted to curse the trotro mate who slapped me, but other women on the bus and my colleague hawkers pleaded with me to let it go. They said it’s not worth the fight," she says.

Priscilla Yeboah, a student, was wearing yellow trousers when she was seen being guided toward a nearby vehicle.

However this time, a “trotro mate”, a stranger to her, had his arms wrapped around her back

Despite her efforts to dodge him, she was unable to escape his grasp.

Priscilla describes it as forceful.

"They pull at you like you are a piece of cloth. I was so angry I refused to board the car. All the mates started insulting me. I was surprised even the older women were annoyed at my actions. They also started making comments, I kept quiet because I knew my anger would lead nowhere. The women said, i am not dressed well because I have a little cleavage showing so they can do what they want with me," she cried.

The dress code argument

This trend shows the victim-blaming and normalization of abuse.

Women are expected to tolerate misconduct to avoid drawing unwanted attention to themselves.

Even when they do speak up, their concerns are often dismissed or blamed on their behavior.

Collins Osei Wusu, a bus driver at the Acheamfour-Adehyeman Lorry Station, believes women bring harassment upon themselves by dressing scantily.

"It’s not as if we like to harass them, but the problem is how they dress. Their dressing gets our attention. Some of them their outfits are like nightwear, that are worn in the bedroom. If you dress like that, what do you expect? Then why don’t you go naked so we see everything? Such ladies too do not like sitting in the backseat but the front seat. I see their thighs and I cannot concentrate or drive well. When I am shifting gears, my hands pass on their thighs, and I get charged up.

Collins' words show his belief that women’s choice of clothing justifies the inappropriate behavior they endure.

“We will continue to harass them till they stop dressing seductively. The men here, what we do now is to hoot at such ladies, the moment we see them passing and even when they are boarding our cars. That is the only thing that will make them stop such dressing,” he argued.

The struggles of female transport workers

Women transport workers also experience violence and harassment by colleagues and supervisors as well as the public, partly because transport is a male-dominated field.

Afia Nyame, a 28 year old, worked as a bus conductor at the Ejisu Station at Adum, but quit in August 2024.

“The men called me a hard woman. That is because I did not allow them to have their way with me. When you start this work as a female, every driver or mate at the lorry stations wants to have a taste of you. The only thing that deters them is when you are married,” she revealed.

The constant sexual harassment and bullying has forced a lot of females between the ages of 23 to 35 out of the job.

“The unemployment rate in this country is high. There are young females who approach me wanting to enter this work. But some of the station masters sleep with them.The others cannot stand the harassment so they stop. If you refuse any intimate relationship, how they will frustrate you here. They will just make the work difficult for you. So you will eventually quit,” she revealed.

Afia wants clear codes of conduct so workers and transport users know what behaviours are acceptable and how to report incidents and concerns related to sexual harassment.

A comparative analysis of gender-based violence in the transport sector

In Ghana, a 2015 study by the Ghana Statistical Service found that 27.7% of women experienced domestic violence in the past year.

While there is limited data on gender-based violence in the transport sector, initiatives like the "16 Routes, 16 Stations" campaign, launched by the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection with UNFPA and the GPRTU, in 2024 are working to raise awareness and address GBV in public transportation.

The Global Women’s Institute, IFC, Gallup survey in the year 2015 across 143 countries found that approximately 60% of women report experiencing sexual harassment on public transport.

In Nairobi, 54% of women report experiencing sexual harassment on public transport.

The Sunday Times, a news portal in the United Kingdom, indicated an increase in violent attacks and sexual offences against women on British railways, with incidents rising by over 50% from 2021 to 2023.

The Herald Sun, a news portal in Australia, showed that In Victoria, Australia, between April 2023 and March 2024, at least 23 women reported sexual assaults or harassment by drivers, showing the need for safer transport options.

A view from the drivers’ seat

For transport operators, the challenges of running their business often take precedence over the concerns of passengers.

Odeneho Barima Appaih Kubi, a driver at Asafo in Kumasi and a member of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), says he prioritizes safety.

"For me, a passenger’s safety is my responsibility. Once you pay me, I must ensure you get to your destination without trouble," he says.

However, when asked about harassment, he admits that some bus conductors cross the line.

"Sometimes, they are aggressive in trying to get passengers into the car. But it’s not intentional harassment, it’s competition," he explains.

This ‘competition’ is often what leads to inappropriate touching, as bus conductors grab passengers to get them to board their vehicles first.

Empowerment and accountability

The challenges women face in Ghana’s transport sector have often been overlooked, but Ama Nyanta Boateng, the Acting Regional Head of the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MGCSP), highlighted them during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which takes place every year from November 25th to December 10th.

“People tend to dismiss what happens to women as part of their daily experience. But this is a violation of their human rights. Gender-based violence is pervasive across various sectors, but the transport industry is where these abuses often go unnoticed or unreported. We need to push for zero tolerance for gender-based violence.  People who experience this kind of violence must be encouraged to report it.” she said.

Struggles of persons with disabilities

While women battle gender-based harassment, persons with disabilities face another form of exclusion.

Many struggle to access transport services, often ignored by drivers who see them as inconveniences.

Dickson Nyantakyi, a retired customs officer who is physically challenged and uses crutches, recounts his experience at Adum in Ashanti.

"I was trying to alight, but the driver didn’t wait. My crutches fell, and a passerby had to chase the bus to retrieve them," he says.

According to him, some drivers pick passengers with disabilities based on appearance.

"If you look unkempt, they won’t stop for you," he adds.

This shows public transport is not built with inclusivity in mind.

Accessibility is an afterthought.

This is making daily commutes difficult for persons with disabilities.

Transport operators’ challenge with disability

Enoch Darfour, a driver stationed at the Sunyani-Berekum Station, shares a story of the challenges faced when transporting passengers with disabilities.

“Sometimes we pick these persons with disabilities, and they die on the way. I picked one from Kumasi to Drobo in the Ahafo Region. It was a long-distance journey. He died in the middle of the journey. We stopped the car and sent him to a nearby hospital. It is not a good experience. Sometimes, they may be sick, but their family members will still insist on transporting them in a commercial vehicle” he says.

According to Enoch, many passengers with critical conditions, particularly those with disabilities are often unable to access proper care or transportation suited to their needs.

"It’s not that we discriminate against people with disabilities. But sometimes, if you feel you are sick, you should call an ambulance. Don't come and sit in a passenger car."

The role of education

Samuel Addai, Acting Regional Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, admits that gender-based violence and harassment in the transport sector are real, but his outfit is making efforts to address these by educating members on how to handle women, elderly passengers and persons with disability with more respect.

“We’ve had many complaints about violence in the transport sector. We have been educating our drivers, but there is still more to do. We are always receiving reports of fights between passengers and drivers or bus conductors. Sometimes we advise and caution them. Other times too, we penalize them when necessary. We hold monthly meetings where we are always educating our members,” he says.

However, as Samuel says, the transport sector in Ghana is fragmented, with multiple unions and associations.

“Not all drivers are unionized, and we have different transport unions. There are some drivers who are not under any unions at all. That is why they misbehave and go scot free. So there is the challenge of implementing standards across board,” he explained

Creating safe and inclusive transport spaces

For Ama Nyanta Boateng there is the need for safe transport spaces for all individuals, especially women.

“In the transport sector, people might not realize that what they think is normal can actually make someone uncomfortable. A woman should feel as safe as a man during her journey, from the moment she boards to the moment she arrives at her destination.”

Her call for public awareness campaigns and increased education within the transport sector to tackle these issues is one of the solutions proposed by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

Advocacy groups must also push for policies that protect vulnerable passengers, including stricter penalties for harassment and mandatory training for transport operators.