313 metro mass buses sold Gh¢2,500 each amongst NPP cronies in October 2020 – Metro Mass deputy MD
The Deputy Managing Director of Metro Mass Transit Limited, Haroun Apaw Wiredu, has revealed shocking details of how hundreds of buses belonging to the company were deliberately declared unserviceable and sold off for extremely low prices under previous management.
According to him, 313 buses were classified as unserviceable and disposed of in October 2020, barely two months before the general election, with some sold to individuals connected to what he described as a criminal network within the company.
Mr Apaw Wiredu disclosed that he discovered one fully functional Metro Mass Transit bus was sold for as little as GHC2,500.
Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, January 18, 2026, he alleged that management at the time operated a corrupt scheme known internally as “cannibalisation,” where buses with minor faults were intentionally stripped of parts, declared beyond repair and sold cheaply to cronies.
He explained that a review of internal records showed that the practice was widespread and systematic, resulting in massive losses to the state-owned transport company.
“By 2017, when the previous [NPP] government took the reins of power, it will surprise you to know that around 2017, 2018, they declared about 400 plus of buses unserviceable. Those buses were scrap, sold amongst some persons and individuals associated to be part of the system then.
“Then two months into the 2020 election in October, another 313 buses were sold amongst some cronies. When I reviewed the report, I realized that a whole bus of Metro Mass was sold at a paltry GHC2500,” he stated.
Mr Apaw Wiredu said the so-called cannibalisation scheme became a business opportunity for those involved, allowing them to profit from the systematic destruction of company assets.
“What we realized was that the then management involved themselves in transport business, what we called cannibalisation. Cannibalisation is a deliberate attempt because they saw the business in the scrapping of buses as a low hanging fruit, as a system to milk the system,” he said.
He further explained how the process worked in practice.
“Deliberately, they were just removing parts from a bus and when it gets to a certain level, they declare it unserviceable. And when they declare it unserviceable, then they call somebody to come and buy it, say GHC2500 official fee,” he noted.
The Deputy Managing Director said the current management, which assumed office in March 2025, has since taken steps to address the issue by engaging external auditors to conduct an independent investigation.
“We commissioned external auditors to get this issue done once and for all and they submitted a draft report to us last week for our consideration,” he added.
He indicated that the findings of the audit will guide further action as the company seeks to recover from years of alleged mismanagement and asset stripping.