GHALCA G6: Metro Mass Transport to provide affordable transportation for fans

Metro Mass Transit company is set to provide transportation for fans during the First Trust Invitation G6 tournament.

The gesture will see a number of buses dispatched at vantage points to facilitate the movement of football fans in the western region where the tourney will be hosted.

The much awaited off season invitational tournament kicks off in the oil city at the Essipong Stadium on Thursday, January 7, 2015.

The move is one of several innovative measures put in place to improve patronage during the three day football gathering.

The availability of the buses for a token is spiced up by free gates to Basic school pupils and students at the secondary school level.

The expected transit points to operate include Sekondi township to Essipong for a paltry Gh1.50 whiles other parts of the Western Region environments will be available for as little as GH2.00.

“There will be buses available to transport fans during the tournament but it will go with a token.

“We are looking at making transportation easier for the fans during the course of the tournament though it will not be for free.” Isaac Koomson Vice Chairman of GHALCA revealed.

Students from both the Basic and second cycle institutions are to show a valid ID card at the entrance of the stadium as their free ticket for the January 7-10 football festival.

Ashgold opens the tournament on Thursday with a blockbuster clash against Chelsea whiles Hearts Of Oak tackles Aduana Stars in the second match of the day at the Essipong stadium.

GHALCA G6: Metro Mass Transport to provide affordable transportation for fans

Transport Minister Resigns Over Bus Re-Branding Scandal

The Minister of Transport Dzifa Attivor, has resigned over the bus re-branding saga.

Government’s decision to spend a whopping GHC 3.6 million on re-branding 116 buses, has angered many Ghanaians, with the majority questioning how that outrageous expenditure could be approved under the watch of the President.

Her resignation comes barely a day after a report was presented to the Chief of Staff; Mr. Julius Debrah, following an investigation he demanded into the controversial contract.

Details of the investigative report have not been made public yet. It is thus unclear why the Minister has chosen the path of resignation even before the report is made public.

A statement signed by the Minister’s Personal Assistant, Egypt Kobla Kudoto, to confirm her resignation said “Hon. Mrs. Dzifa Attivor, Minister of Transport wishes to inform the good people of Ghana that , as the Minister with oversight responsibility for the activities of the Metro Mass Transit (MMT) she has tendered in her resignation due to the current issues surrounding the branding of the 116 buses.”

“She further wants to take the opportunity to thank her party for the opportunity offered her to serve, first as a Deputy Minister of Transport under the late John Evans Atta Mills, and later as the Substantive Minister.

Mrs. Attivor also wishes to thank the President sincerely for the honour to serve in his government. She has already communicated this decision to His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama through the Chief of Staff, Mr. Julius Debrah” the statement concluded.

The Minister’s action also comes a day after some seven Ghanaian citizens instituted a court action against government over the controversial contract.

A detailed pro-forma invoice for the re-branding of the buses has revealed that stickers on each bus cost Ghc11, 000.

The pro-forma invoice dated 17th July 2015, and signed by the Accounts Officer of Smarttys Management and Productions and copied to the Ministry of Transport, put the total cost of branding for each bus at Ghc30,420.00.

Smarttys Management and Productions is owned by Selassie Ibrahim, an actress cum entrepreneur and TV personality. Some advertisers have told Citi News the charges were inflated considering the charges that pertains in the industry for such services.

They have accused government of misplaced priority considering that the state could have raked in nearly Ghc5 million cedis a month if it had given out the spaces on the 116 buses for commercial advertisement.

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citifmonline

Transport Minister Resigns Over Bus Re-Branding Scandal