Surging transport fares amid existing transport problems

Transport fare hikes are tools for exacerbation. There are also those who, somehow make a better meaning out of the insensible surging prices. Yes, those who drive State sponsored vehicles and thus are the very people who sit on the table to effect those draconian prices.

They, for the past two decades or more of their lives, have never

Read full articletasted a bit of the tussle they have created for the citizenry they are to serve. Instead of providing a good functional public transport system, they’ve compelled the citizenry to rely 24/7, heavily on private transport (a.k.a trotro or trosky). We all saw what transpired last December when the “trotro” drivers took to demonstration for some few hours.

Over the years the State had always solved the problem they (those in authority) were elected to solve, only for them, but negates that of the citizenry. The State provides them with land-cruiser and fuel it too. So they go sleeping on the job. They don’t care if the road is constructed because their cars would navigate them swiftly, even in its deplorable state.

And as fuel prices increase, they sit aloof, after all fueling the cars isn’t their responsibility. Even though they were elected to stabilize fuel hikes, to construct or oversee road construction, and so forth and so on. They know the State would pamper them so should they care?

That said, an ordinary citizen would board a rickety “trotro”, and the least mistake, some parts of its metals would share his (or her) meat. When it rains passengers aren’t guaranteed to get to their destination with the clean dress with which they had gotten onboard with.

Altercations would always brew in the “trosky”, therefore no sanity while onboard. The tendency of drivers losing focus in this “trotro” is high: a factor which could give rise to accident.

Those with Asthma, and foul smell and dust are their anathema, while onboard, the untarred roads would be blowing dust into their lungs, some assistant conductors (mates) and irresponsible passengers alike won’t spare them with their hazardous armpits’ aroma.

So the least to do should be transport fares increment!? Hmmm! This is Ghana for you. If one is poor, the government makes one more poorer. And would rather boost capriciously of making one more richer.

Increasing transport fares make it seem as though they had solved the existing transport problems. Because one shouldn’t have asked for more, not until he had finished chewing what is in his mouth. But this is politics; a serious business; suppliers would want to always break-even regardless.

Maybe the good about all this could be that those wanting to become the-tomorrow-leaders out of nowhere and without proper self-assessment schemes, would now relax and think aright. If they really want to enter into leadership, to serve, or to be served (i.e., fuel their personal aggrandizement).

It is not, as they have obviously seen, that winning the election and becoming a president alone are just enough. There’s humongous task ahead. Providing citizens with good economies of scale, social impact, political serenity, industrial revolution, employment avenues, redeeming the cedi from a state of disrepute, increasing export and reducing import etc.

Lest posterity will judge them in twain: while in government and, more bitter dirges to be written after their tenure. And nobody would be booed. For that’s the gospel truth.