Accra, Dec. 24, GNA – Station masters and drivers at major bus terminals in Accra have lamented the low turnout of travellers on Christmas Eve.
“It is unusual on 24th December to see cars and buses grounded at Neoplan Station without passengers…just a few days ago travellers had queued here waiting for vehicles,” John Tetteh, 1st Trustee of Accra Neoplan Drivers Union, said.
Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the Neoplan Station, VVIP, VIP and Africa Eagle Multi Transport Services at Circle, the Kaneshie to Takoradi and Elubo lorry terminals and recorded similar sentiments.
The Agency was also at the Aflao and Sogakofe lorry stations at Tudu, and Metro Mass Transit at the Kinbu Point, with vehicles parked without passengers.
Mr Tetteh said though travel records had not been encouraging, they were able to transport about 2000 travellers to key destinations in the Bono, Ahafo, Bono East, and Ashanti Regions yesterday, December 23.
At the Neoplan Station at Circle, trader and drivers said last year, there were passengers without vehicles but the story was the opposite this year.
Madam Mercy Dwomor, a trader at the station, attributed the situation to economic hardships arising out of the increase in the prices of fuel.
Also at Tudu, fleets to Aflao and Sogakofe had recorded low patronage.
Mr. Kwabla Wemegah, a passenger on Dabala vehicke, said “the cars are not getting full early at all, travellers are not coming may be they want to travel in the evening.”
The situation is not different at the Metro Mass Transit at the Kinbu Point where only one bus had moved to Ho with the others, empty.
Madam Elizabeth Baako, Secretary for Africa Eagle Multi Transport Services that ply Accra – Coutonu – Lagos, described the transport business as “tough” particularly during the yuletide.
She said many Nigerians who would have loved to travel to their country to celebrate the Christmas festivities and Ghanaian business community who normally bought goods from Nigeria were unable to do that due to the border closure.
“The border is closed and people are afraid of travelling this year.”
The Company, she said, had resorted to cargo transport to make some money.
At the Kaneshie to Takoradi station, the situation, however, was different.
The authorities were elated seeing buses depart to their destinations one after the other.
“We are having a bumper harvest this year, we – the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and others have loaded about twenty buses and we are still receiving more passengers,” Philip Rockson, General Secretary at the Kaneshie to Takoradi Station, told the GNA.
GNA