Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe Begs for Patience Over Delayed 100-Bus Deployment | Discuss Ghana

Amid growing public frustration over deteriorating traffic congestion and soaring urban commuting costs, the Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has issued an official state assurance that the 100 newly procured government buses will be deployed onto national roads very soon.

Speaking to journalists today, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, after appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Ada, the Minister formally acknowledged the public's anxiety but asked for a minor extension of patience, confirming that the technical and administrative setup is entering its final, decisive phase.

The Logistics Behind the Delay

Addressing critics who have accused the ministry of deliberately hoarding the vehicles while transit challenges peak during morning and evening rush hours, Minister Nikpe pulled back the curtain on the mandatory, large-scale regulatory protocols required to clear a massive fleet of 100 heavy-duty vehicles:

"If you have a number of buses up to 100 and you bring them into the system, they have to be registered. They have to go through all the strict Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) inspections. You have to train drivers, and you have to now deploy those drivers and do a kind of proper, comprehensive servicing on all the buses so that they'll be able to safely serve the people."

The Passing Out Timeline

The Minister revealed that rather than a vague, long-term promise, the specialized human resource framework needed to pilot the vehicles is practically wrapped up:

Driver Graduation: The elite cohort of heavy-duty transit operators currently undergoing specialized road safety and fleet management training is scheduled to officially pass out by this weekend or early next week.

Immediate Rollout: Once the drivers receive their formal clearance, the Ministry will immediately initiate tactical deployment across high-congestion metropolitan corridors, focusing heavily on relieving the crushing gridlock that paralyzes the capital's central business districts daily.

The Minister's Appeal: "I understand the Ghanaian people," Nikpe pleaded. "I want to make an appeal that we are almost at the end of rolling those buses out. Very soon, Ghanaians will see those buses being operational."