Stakeholders in Ghana’s transport sector have called for urgent, practical action to tackle the country’s growing transport challenges, as the Ministry of Transport pushes for private investment to build a modern urban transport system.
The call came at a stakeholder engagement organized to review the state of the sector and recommend solutions for policy, congestion, and funding.
“LET’S MOVE BEYOND TALK SHOPS”
Franklin Sowa, Director of Marketing and Sales at the Graphic Communications Group, said the forum must not end as just another discussion.
“This engagement should not become a talk shop but must provide a platform to advance solutions to problems affecting the transport sector,” Mr. Sowa stated.
He said traffic congestion alone has a major impact on productivity, health and daily life, making transport a key driver of economic vibrancy and national development.
While acknowledging the media’s role in highlighting problems, he urged a shift toward contributing to solutions.
The discussions, he noted, brought together a representative from the Ministry of Transport and experts who shared perspectives on transport policy, management, alternative transport systems, and emerging issues around environmental, social and governance principles, including fuel use and emissions.
Mr. Sowa said the report from the engagement contains expert recommendations on existing initiatives, policy improvements, and stronger stakeholder engagement.
FUNDING IS THE MISSING LINK
He stressed that sustainable funding remains critical to moving plans off the shelf and into reality.
“Good ideas and plans require adequate financial resources to move from the shelves into implementation,” he said, adding that the sector should explore creative fundraising and revenue-sharing mechanisms to access long-term funds for infrastructure.
Such approaches, he said, could provide the resources needed to establish the right systems, improve productivity and support national development.
“Ghana has the potential to be a flagship country on the continent,” Mr. Sowa added. “We urge stakeholders to work together to improve the transport sector.
” He expressed hope that the report presented to the Ministry of Transport will inform policy decisions and lead to measurable action, with the media continuing to track progress and highlight bottlenecks.
MINISTRY SEEKS PRIVATE CAPITAL FOR URBAN TRANSPORT
Speaking at the same forum, Mr. William Kartey, Chief Director of the Ministry of Transport, said the Ministry is seeking significant private-sector investment to develop a modern and efficient urban transport system.
He said rapid urban development has increased demand for better infrastructure to deal with growing traffic congestion.
“The country needs substantial private capital to develop a transport system capable of meeting the needs of growing urban centres,” Mr. Kartey stated.
The Ministry, he said, is looking at modern solutions including rail systems, improved routing and other interventions to improve mobility.
Mr. Kartey assured stakeholders that recommendations from the engagement will be incorporated into the Ministry’s transport policy development process. He also invited private-sector players and investors with available funding to engage the Ministry on partnerships.
He further announced that the Ministry will provide stakeholders with updates on progress and actions taken on the recommendations on a quarterly basis.
“While the transport sector faces several challenges, identifying and understanding those challenges is an important step towards finding sustainable solutions,” he said.
The Chief Director thanked participants for their inputs and said the report will be presented to the Minister for consideration.
