Transport Minister orders annual fleet renewal for STC, Metro Mass

Transport Minister Joseph Nikpe Bukari says the government will compel state transport operators to renew their fleets annually as part of measures to ease worsening peak-hour commuter hardships.

The directive affects the State Transport Company (STC) and Metro Mass Transit, which have faced persistent criticism over ageing buses, frequent breakdowns and long waiting times for passengers, particularly in Accra.

Mr Bukari announced the policy shift on Monday after meeting transport sector leaders to discuss recent commuter frustrations during rush hours.

He said the era of allowing buses to deteriorate beyond use before being auctioned would end.

“We are now telling our transport companies, like the STC and Metro Mass, that whatever they are doing, they must ensure that they renew their fleet,” the minister told journalists. “It will no more be that you leave them to get to some stage, you auction them, and that is it.”

According to him, government is pursuing a broader retooling of the state-owned transport companies to improve reliability and restore public confidence in mass transit services.

“When we do that, it is now going to be a duty that at all times they will continuously replace whatever they are using on a yearly basis, at least to start,” Mr Bukari explained, stressing that fleet renewal would no longer be optional.

The move comes amid growing public anger over long queues at major terminals and roadside stops during peak periods, especially between 5pm and 7pm, when many workers struggle to find buses home.

As an immediate intervention, government disclosed plans to deploy dozens of buses onto the streets of Accra to pick up stranded commuters during peak hours.

Transport sector stakeholders at the meeting reportedly raised concerns about funding, maintenance costs and operational inefficiencies, but the minister insisted that improved planning and accountability would make the new policy workable.

Commuters have welcomed the announcement but urged swift implementation.

Government says further details on the rollout of the fleet renewal programme and peak-hour bus deployment will be announced in the coming weeks.