Ibrahim Adjei, former Assistant Secretary at the Office of former President Nana Akufo-Addo, has called for decisive investment in a light rail system to tackle Ghana’s worsening urban transport crisis, warning that short-term fixes will not resolve chronic congestion in Accra.
Adjei argued that traffic congestion is draining national productivity, as workers lose hours daily stuck on congested roads. He stressed that transport inefficiencies directly undermine economic growth, insisting that mobility must be treated as a core development priority.
According to him, the government must take a “concerted decision” to invest in light rail infrastructure for highly congested urban areas, particularly Accra. He said a rail-based system would significantly reduce pressure on roads while improving the movement of people and goods across the capital.
“If you procure buses without creating alternative pathways, in a year or two we will be facing the same problem,” he warned, noting that the broader economic cost of congestion could be offset by long-term investment in rail infrastructure.
His comments come amid growing public frustration over long queues and extended waiting times for commercial vehicles in Accra, as demand for public transport continues to outstrip supply, particularly during peak hours.
In response to the pressure, Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) is set to expand its fleet with the procurement of about 300 Isuzu buses by February 2026. The move forms part of efforts to ease the shortage of public transport vehicles in the capital.
