Cape Coast, Dec. 24, GNA – GNA – Many transport stations in the Cape Coast Metropolis on Friday, December 24 were virtually empty and deserted.
The usual hustle and bustle associated with Christmas travels, especially long queues by commuters, were absent as the lorry stations appeared a pale shadow of themselves.
At Tantri, the biggest lorry station in the ancient city, Kwabena Ebo, Secretary of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU), told the Ghana News Agency that patronage was poor.
He blamed the situation on general economic hardship, which had made it difficult for people to travel to their places of interest during the festive season.
He also mentioned the rampaging impact of COVID-19 on Ghana’s economy, high fuel prices and increase in the number of transport stations as some of the reasons for the low patronage this year.
“Vehicles are many now unlike a decade ago. Students have also vacated and many are afraid to travel because of COVID-19 and the economic difficulties,” Uncle Ebo said.
At the Pedu Total Station, the GNA observed that most of the vehicles were empty and drivers were waiting in groups chatting.
Mr Richard Mensah, the Station Master, attributed the low patronage to the hardship in the country, saying “people do not have money to buy foodstuffs and personal goods to celebrate the yuletide.”
The situation was not different at the Praso station, where only two cars had moved by 1230 hours, a situation the drivers described as unusual on Christmas days.
Mr Ernest Amoah, a passenger at the Metro mass Station, complained of sitting in the vehicle for nearly two hours, yet it was not full when the GNA visited.
Some traders at the various lorry stations expressed worry over low sales.
Madam Ahema Konadu, a trader, said, “ this Christmas is not for us, our goods are still on our heads. It is 1030 hours and I have not sold up to 50 cedis.
GNA