KMA bye-laws on urban passenger transport services come into force

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has passed the Urban Passenger Transport Services Bye-Laws to regulate passenger transport operations in the metropolis.

The assembly has also established an urban passenger transport unit to directly regulate the transport services under a new regulatory regime.

The Local Government Act (Act 462) mandates the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to plan and regulate urban transportation within its jurisdiction.

Briefing the media in Kumasi, Metro Chief Executive, Samuel Sarpong noted “the regulation of public transport operations has largely been in the hands of private operators who act as both players and referee”.

He says the assembly is now assuming its legal role as the referee through the implementation of the Urban Transport Project to reform the sector.

More than 70 percent of motorized person trips in the metropolis depend on one form of bus transport or another, including trotro, taxi and bus.

The KMA is preparing to launch a route registration exercise in March this year, after which it will issue permits to all public transport operators of those routes.

The project is aimed at eliminating floating drivers and encourages all providers of public transport services to join unions and associations.

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union had earlier expressed reservations on the implementation of the new reform.

Head of Communications and Public Relations of the UTP, Kwadwo Antwi, tells Luv FM talks are still on-going to draw the GPRTU to support the project. “We understand that anytime you want to effect change of this magnitude, you'll have some reactions. It is expected so we're not fighting and we're not enemies. What we are doing is to find responses to the issues they are raising and queries that they raise because we're supposed to do this for them and the ultimately for the comfort of the passenger.

“We are dialoging… so that we find a middle way and work together to implement the project to benefit the citizens of this country”, Mr. Antwi said.

The Urban Road Project is being implemented in ten assemblies across the country.