Accra, March 5, GNA – Mr. Mawuko Afadzinu, Head of Brands and Marketing at Stanbic Bank Ghana, has called for a coordinated multi-stakeholder approach to reform Ghana’s urban transport system to improve productivity and economic efficiency.
He said reforms must prioritise strategic planning, policy coherence and long-term investment to improve mobility and enable workers and traders to reach destinations on time.
Mr Afadzinu made the call in Accra during the Stanbic Bank/Graphic Business Breakfast Meeting on the theme: “Why Resetting Ghana’s Urban Transport System is an Economic Necessity.”
He said Ghana’s urban transport challenges were no longer merely about convenience but had become an economic imperative requiring urgent attention, citing contrasts between past and present transport realities.
Mr Afadzinu recounted childhood memories when bus stops operated with visible timetables; schoolchildren boarded buses free of charge and commuters could travel as far as Opera Square with predictability and ease.
“Back then, there was a system that allowed you to plan your day. You could leave home knowing the bus would arrive around a specific time. Even if there was a five or ten-minute delay, you adjusted slightly. Within 40 minutes, you would be at work. That level of certainty is not far-fetched; it is what many countries have refined and improved over time,” he recalled.
“Today, we must honestly ask ourselves: where did it go wrong? What happened to the system that once worked?” he asked.
Mr Afadzinu said discussions on transport were fundamentally about productivity, national competitiveness and the country’s collective economic future, as the sector affected households, businesses and all areas of the economy.
“Urban mobility is not just about moving people from one point to another; it directly affects output, cost of doing business, employee wellbeing and ultimately, economic growth,” he stated.
Mr Afadzinu cited a recent study by Glimmer Research, which estimated that traffic congestion imposed a GH¢4.5 billion loss on Ghana’s economy.
“When congestion delays workers, disrupts supply chains and increases fuel consumption, the cumulative effect is a loss in productivity and competitiveness. In an increasingly interconnected and competitive global environment, we cannot afford inefficiencies that erode our economic potential,” he noted.
Mr Afadzinu attributed the current transport challenges to deeper structural weaknesses, noting that congestion in major cities had reached alarming levels even when the number of commercial vehicles on the roads had reduced.
“It is not normal for traffic to remain this severe under such conditions. It points to deeply embedded, systemic challenges within our transport ecosystem. The system is stretched thin, and we must confront that truth,” he stated.
Mr Afadzinu said although public discourse on the issue had intensified in recent weeks, the underlying problems persisted, urging stakeholders to move beyond discussions and take concrete action.
The Stanbic Bank/Graphic Business Breakfast Meeting brought together policymakers, industry leaders and transport experts to explore practical pathways towards building a more efficient, reliable and economically sustainable urban mobility system for Ghana.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey