195 Metro buses not in operation — Minister

Page 14, July 2, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

OUT of a total of 400 Yaxing buses imported from China by the Metro Mass Transit Limited, 195, representing close to 50 per cent of the buses have broken down.
Thirteen out of the 400 Yaxing buses have been cannibalised to service other fleet and also to dispose off as scraps, with another 101 expected to be cannibalised to service other operational fleet, leaving only 91 in operation.
These came to light on Wednesday when the MP for Trobu-Amasaman, Mr Ernest Attuquaye Armah, posed a question on the floor of the House to the Minister of Transport, Mr Mike Hammah, enquiring on the number of Metro Mass buses imported from China and the number now in operation.
In response to a question from the Minority side on the total number of buses imported, including those from China, the Minister said he needed time to compile the data in order to properly address that question.
Mr Mike Hammah told the House that “mechanical and electrical failures, especially, poor engine, clutch problems coupled with poor after sales service support had resulted in several of the Yaxing buses being grounded for long periods with the attendant loss of revenue”.
The minister said as a result of the increase in urbanisation and use of many private and mini buses, there was congestion in the cities with high fuel consumption and consequently high cost of travel per passenger time.
He said the successful expansion and operation of the MMT with a planned bus replacement programme would help reduce congestion in cities in the country, lower cost of travel for the mass of the people and therefore a positive, social and economic impact.
Providing a background to the operation of the service in the country, the minister stated that in order to fulfil the government’s policy of providing passenger mass transport service in the urban areas of the country, a pilot mass transit service was introduced in October, 2002 with 17 used high capacity Fiat/IVECO buses donated by the Government of Italy.
He said after the initial encouraging operation of the pilot project, the government in 2003 used the assets of OSA as equity and in partnership with SSNIT, NIB, STC and Prudential Bank, established and incorporated the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) as a limited liability company.
“Later, ADB and GOIL also joined the company and currently the six institutions own 55 per cent shares and the government owns 45 per cent shares,” he indicated.
Mr Hammah added that in April 2004 following Cabinet’s approval and subsequent ratification by Parliament, 50 Yaxing buses were imported by the ex-Ministry of Roads and Transport after a supply contract agreement with the China National Machinery and Equipment Corporation (CMEC).
The Minister also told the House that a total 763 right-hand drive buses have been imported and registered in the country from June 2004 to date.
He said out of that number 23 were imported from January to date.
The Minister explained that the influx of the right hand buses into the country was as a result of the amendment of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (Management) Law 1993, PNDC Law 330, which banned the importation of right-hand drive vehicles into the country.
Responding to a question posed by the MP for Trobu-Amasaman, the minister said that law was amended in 2002 by Act 634 and also a letter by the Ministry of Finance dated November 28, 2003.
“Per the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning’s letter, the importation of right-hand drive vehicles was restricted except for refuse trucks and equipment for sanitation and construction and mining equipment for use at sites off the road,” the minister explained.