The Deputy Managing Director of Metro Mass Transit Ltd, Haroun Apaw Wiredu, has disclosed that the company sold 313 unserviceable buses for about GHC2,500 each in October 2020.

According to him on TV3 Ghana, internal records show that the buses were declared unserviceable and disposed of during the period, generating about GHC2.9 million.

The money was expected to be paid into a bus acquisition account.

Mr Apaw Wiredu explained that Metro Mass was established in 2003 and inherited buses and assets from the defunct State Transport Corporation. At its peak, the company had over 1,000 buses nationwide.

He outlined that by 2017, Metro Mass had about 1,100 buses, with more than 600 operational and over 500 undergoing repairs.

However, when the current management assumed office in March, the number of operational buses across the country had dropped sharply to about 115.

He noted that Ghana now has 16 regional capitals and over 260 district capitals, with a population far larger than when Metro Mass was established. Despite this, the company is currently operating the lowest number of buses in its history.

Mr Apaw Wiredu revealed that more scrap buses now exist than buses actively on route. He attributed this to what he described as deliberate cannibalisation by previous management.

He explained that buses were intentionally parked and stripped of usable parts such as tyres springs and other components to repair other buses. Once most parts were removed, the buses were declared unserviceable and sold cheaply.

He questioned how a complete bus could be sold for as little as GHC2,500, stressing that even in poor condition the value should have been higher.

The Deputy MD noted that although management has not been able to recover the sold buses, an external auditor has been engaged to investigate the matter. A draft audit report has already been submitted for review.

He further disclosed that despite operating only 115 buses, Metro Mass is currently recording its highest revenue ever. This improvement followed the full automation of the company’s revenue collection system.

He explained that the automation was introduced under a three month performance contract issued by President John Dramani Mahama to reduce revenue leakages and eliminate manual cash handling.

According to him, revenue collection has increased from about GHC9.3 million in previous years to between GHC13 million and GHC14 million monthly, even during low peak periods.

Mr Apaw Wiredu added that new procurement systems have been introduced to prevent abuse and ensure spare parts are properly tracked and used for their intended purposes.

He assured that management is committed to restoring accountability improving worker welfare and rebuilding Metro Mass to serve the growing transport needs of the country.

By: Jacob Aggrey