Accra’s commuters have faced widespread transport disruptions this week, with shortages of vehicles leaving workers and students stranded across the capital. The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) acknowledged the situation, describing it as a recurring post-holiday phenomenon that typically normalizes within two weeks.
Alhaji Abbas Ibrahim Moro, Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, told The High Street Journal that the shortage stems from seasonal traffic patterns rather than deliberate action by drivers. “Normally, during the first days after Christmas, we notice a lot of traffic, both vehicular and human. This has been a normal issue for years now,” he said.
The government’s communications minister, Felix Kwakye- Ofosu, said earlier during his turn at the government accountability series on Wednesday that drivers may be intentionally reducing vehicles to create artificial scarcity. Alhaji Moro rejected the claim, insisting that transport services remain operational and that the union is preparing a technical proposal for the Transport Ministry to address longer-term inefficiencies.
The shortage has immediate consequences for productivity in Accra, where these transport systems are the backbone of urban mobility. Delays in commuting affect businesses, students and public services, while rising demand for fewer vehicles can push up fares, adding inflationary pressure on households.
The transport disruptions also point to structural weaknesses in Ghana’s urban infrastructure. With limited rail and formal bus networks, the economy relies heavily on privately operated minibuses (locally called ‘Trotro”) and taxis. Seasonal shocks, such as post-holiday congestion, as stated by GPRTU as the cause for the shortage of vehicles expose vulnerabilities in planning and fleet management.
The GPRTU said it will present a “transport manuscript” to the ministry, outlining technical solutions to ease congestion and stabilize supply. Improving scheduling, expanding fleet capacity and investing in mass transit could reduce reliance on informal systems and strengthen resilience against seasonal bottlenecks. The Acting Managing Director of the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE), Awudu Dawuda, has revealed that only 80 out of the 245 Ayalolo buses procured by the government in 2016 are currently operating in Accra, contributing to the ongoing transport challenges in the capital.
For now, commuters are expected to endure delays until services normalize. The episode underlines the urgency of Ghana’s broader transport modernization agenda, which is critical to sustaining productivity and supporting economic growth.
