Editorial
The decline of service quality at STC: A call for urgent reform
Dear Editor,
Public transportation plays a vital role in national development by connecting people, supporting businesses, and enabling mobility. In Ghana, the State Transport Corporation (STC) has long been regarded as a reliable transport provider.
However, my experience with STC on Tuesday, where I had to wait for more than two hours has confirmed concerns about the decline in the quality of service by the transport provider.
Two major issues stand out of the concerns raised by the public, which are, poor communication by management and excessive waiting times for passengers.
Effective communication is the backbone of any successful organization, especially in the transport sector where schedules, delays, and changes directly affect customers.
Unfortunately, STC management appears to fall short in this area. Passengers are often left in the dark regarding delays, cancellations, or changes in departure times.
There is little to no proactive communication to inform customers about what is happening. In many cases, passengers must repeatedly approach staff for updates, only to receive vague or inconsistent responses.
This lack of clear and timely information creates frustration and anxiety among travelers, many of whom depend on STC for important journeys such as business trips, family visits, or emergencies.
A modern transport company should prioritise transparency and customer engagement by using clear announcements, digital updates, and responsive customer service channels.
The current communication gap does not only damage1 customer trust but also undermines the credibility of the organization.
Another critical issue affecting STC passengers is the long and unpredictable waiting time. It is not uncommon for customers to wait for several hours beyond their scheduled departure time. In some extreme cases, passengers have reported waiting up to five hours before boarding a bus.
I am personally a victim of this situation, having experienced a delay of about five hours without proper explanation or support from staff. Such delays are not only inconvenient but also unacceptable in today’s fast-paced world.
Passengers often plan their journeys carefully, and such prolonged waiting disrupts their schedules, causes missed appointments, and leads to additional financial and emotional stress.
Waiting for hours at a bus terminal without adequate seating, refreshments, or clear information further worsens the experience. It reflects a lack of proper planning, coordination, and respect for customers’ time.
From Ernest Adinkra
Accra New Town
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
Dear Editor,
I wish to use this esteemed platform to urge the traditional councils of Osu and La to call for independent investigation into the recent demolition exercise at Kaajaano.
The exercise rendered hundreds homeless.
Information about the reason for the demolition has been scanty with those desiring to know feeding heavily on social media posts.
One particular name –Jato, has been associated with it but under whose instruction the exercise was carried is also not known.
Sadly, instead of getting to know who ordered the demolition and for what reasons, traditional authorities of Osu and La have been embroiled in a tug-of-war over ownership of the said land.
This is premature. At this moment, they should call for investigation into the exercise to know the people behind it.
When that is done, then discussions about the owners of the site can begin. That would end the posture of the two neighbouring town which has the potential to turn into something else.
Ataa Osa Mensah,
Osu
Dear Editor,
I wish to use your respected platform to draw the attention of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to the behaviour of traders and some drivers about the use of lower denomination coins, specifically the 20 and 10 pesewas.
About two weeks ago, I read in your sister newspaper, The Ghanaian Times about this problem and the caution that followed from the BoG and some economic analysts.
The warning they gave was that the continuous rejection of the notes could create pricing problems which can eventually affect inflation.
I thought that would put to bed that practice or refusal to accept the coins when given out as change or use to pay for particular service.
Unfortunately, the problem still persist among traders, drivers, customers and passengers alike. Only last week, there was as altercation in the Accra Central area where a woman refused to accept five 20 pesewas note totaling one cedi.
As the argument continued, the trader decided not to sell to the customer again after by-standers explained to her that it was still a legal tender and those that refused it could become offenders.
This is an issue the BoG and other regulatory agencies must go and explain to the people and let them know that it is unlawful not to accept a currency that is still in use.
It nothing was done, it could create a much more serious problems.
Mary Osei Badu,
Swedru
