The Head of Brands and Marketing at Stanbic Bank Ghana, Mawuko Afadzinu, has called for a reset of Ghana’s urban transport system, saying the country must address congestion and mobility challenges because they were imposing heavy economic costs and weakening productivity.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of the bank at the Stanbic Bank/Graphic Business Breakfast Meeting in Accra, Mr Afadzinu said urban mobility had become a major economic issue that required urgent national attention.
Addressing participants on the theme: “Why Resetting Ghana’s Urban Transport System is an Economic Necessity”, he said the transport challenges facing the country were no longer just about inconvenience for commuters but were directly affecting business operations, productivity and national competitiveness.
Mr Afadzinu said transport systems played a central role in economic activity because they determined how quickly workers, goods and services could move within cities.
“Urban mobility had become an economic issue because when people could not move efficiently, businesses lost time, productivity declined and the cost of operations increased,” he said.
He explained that delays in commuting, disruptions in supply chains and higher fuel consumption were among the factors that were gradually eroding the competitiveness of Ghana’s economy.
“When workers spent several hours in traffic each day, it reduced the effective working time available to businesses and affected the overall performance of the economy,” he said.
Personal reflections
Mr Afadzinu recalled that Ghana’s public transport system once operated with a level of predictability that allowed people to plan their daily routines.
He said growing up in North Kaneshie in Accra, commuters relied on buses that ran according to visible timetables at designated bus stops.
“At the time, you could leave home knowing a bus would arrive at a specific time and take you to places such as Opera Square. Even if there was a short delay, the system still worked and within about 40 minutes, you were already at work,” he said.
He said that system had allowed people to organise their day with certainty and efficiency.
However, Mr Afadzinu said the situation had changed significantly over the years, leaving the country with a transport system that struggled to cope with growing urban populations.
“Today we had to ask ourselves what happened to the system that once worked. The predictability we had decades ago was no longer there, and commuters faced uncertainty each day,” he said.
He said traffic congestion had become one of the most visible signs of the challenges confronting the urban transport system.
According to him, the severity of congestion in major cities had reached levels that could no longer be ignored.
Economic losses
Mr Afadzinu cited findings from a recent study by Glimmer Research, which estimated that traffic congestion was costing Ghana about GH¢4.5 billion in lost productivity.
“The loss came from delays in movement, increased fuel consumption and the time businesses and workers lost every day in traffic,” he said.
He explained that in a global economy where efficiency determined competitiveness, such losses could undermine Ghana’s ability to attract investment and grow businesses.
“In an increasingly interconnected world, countries that could not move people and goods efficiently risked falling behind others that had invested in modern transport systems,” he said.
Mr Afadzinu said addressing the problem required coordinated action from the government, businesses and transport sector stakeholders.
He said policy reforms, long-term planning and sustained investment in transport infrastructure were necessary to build a system capable of supporting economic growth.
“It was important to approach urban transport not only as a social service but also as an economic asset that supported productivity and national development,” he said.
He added that improving mobility would benefit households, businesses and the broader economy.
The Stanbic Bank/Graphic Business Breakfast Meeting brought together policymakers, business leaders, researchers and transport experts to discuss practical solutions to the country’s urban mobility challenges.
Participants explored issues such as mass transit systems, urban planning, traffic management and the role of technology in improving public transport.
Mr Afadzinu said such conversations were necessary to stimulate ideas and encourage collaboration among stakeholders.
“Solving the transport challenge required a shared commitment from both the public and private sectors because the benefits would extend to every part of the economy,” he said.
Background
Urban transport has become a major policy concern in Ghana as rapid population growth and expanding cities place increasing pressure on existing infrastructure.
Accra and other major cities experience heavy traffic congestion during peak hours, with commuters often spending several hours travelling to and from work.
Analysts say inefficient urban mobility increases the cost of doing business, reduces worker productivity and raises fuel consumption.
Experts have therefore urged sustained investment in modern mass transit systems, better traffic management and integrated urban planning to improve mobility and support economic growth.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh