A four-member delegation from The Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC) on Sunday, March 3, 2024, arrived in Ghana to understudy the operations of Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMTL).
The delegation was led by Mr. Saloum Malang, the Board Chairman of GTSC who also doubles as the Managing Director of Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation.
He was accompanied by Mr. Seedy Kanyi, the Managing Director of GTSC, Mr. Amadou Drammeh, head of Traffic Operations and Mr. Mustapha B. Colley, head of Corporate Planning.
The Managing Director of Metro Mass Transit Limited, Albert Adu Boahen received the team and commended them for choosing the best-led company in the Transport Industry to benchmark and urged them to make good of their study tour to MMTL.
During their five days study tour, the delegation also interacted with the Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Board Chairman of MMTL, Kofi Ahenkorah Marfo, Deputy Managing Director MMTL in charge of Finance and Administration, Richard Yangfo and the Deputy Managing Director of MMTL in charge of Operations and Technical, Richard Nana Osei Bamfo.
Likewise, they interacted with the top management staff at the Finance, IT, Traffic Operations and Corporate Planning Departments of MMTL to learn best practices in their day-to-day activities.
Mr. Adu Boahen in his welcome remarks said Ghana and The Gambia are two inseparable countries, assuring the delegation that the doors of MMTL are always opened to welcome them and any of GTSC staff they would assign to Metro Mass Transit Limited for further studies.
“It is a privilege to welcome you to MMTL. The timing of your coming is apt as it has coincided with a number of technological reforms we are executing to revamp our operations. Metro Mass is at the core of the heart of the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice-President, His Excellence Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. They are giving us all the necessary support to provide an efficient transport service to the public. Our green initiatives being spearheaded by the Vice-President are superb and would urge you take keen interest in them since they will help GSTC to provide the best of transport services to the Gambian travelling public while generating the needed revenue to sustain the business”, he noted.
Mr. Adu Boahen then took the delegation round to inspect some of the facilities of Metro Mass Transit Limited for them to have first-hand information about these facilities. Among the areas visited include the operations room of the recently launched ‘Tap n Go’ card, a multi-functional, cross-utility card to access and pay for public transport services, the workshop department and the Kaneshie bus terminal.
He also led the delegation to inspect some of their newly acquired robust VDL buses designed purposely for the rugged Ghanaian road networks.
The Board Chairman of GSTC, Mr. Malang in his remarks after concluding their study tour said “Our coming here is very timely and important. It has given us more ideas to improve on our operations. What we have seen here is in line with what we do in The Gambia. I thought what we have back home was the best. However, after coming here, I have learned that we have to continue to improve since Metro Mass Transit Limited is far ahead”.
The Managing Director of GSTC, Mr. Seedy Kanyi also commenting on their study tour lauded the Board and Management of Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMTL) for the innovative ideas they have introduced to turn around the struggling State-Owned Transport Company.
According to him, the technological reforms being pursued by MMTL are so groundbreaking that they have provided a complete solution to the dire needs of MMTL.
“I was here in 2015 and I am here again. What I learned in 2015 is completely different from what I have witnessed today. Every business has its ups and downs and I know Metro Mass had had its fair share of the downs. But from what I saw during our visit within the past five days, Metro Mass is rising and things seems to be stabilizing. I am very impressed with the zeal and drive that the MD exhibited. I have every hope that they will succeed”, said the General Manager of GSTC, Seedy Kanyi.