By Peterlyn Mensah
The Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transport has visited the Ministry of Transport and its agencies to learn more about their work, monitor progress on ongoing projects, and build stronger collaboration between Parliament and the Ministry.
The 17-member delegation was led by the Committee Chairman, Hon. Isaac Adjei Mensah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Wassa East. He described the visit as a strategic and symbolic gesture, emphasizing that direct engagement with the Ministry and its agencies will help Parliament offer better support through informed legislation.
Transport Minister Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe used the opportunity to share several key updates. He said the Ministry is working on a new plan to regulate commercial motorcycle operations, commonly known as Okada. As part of this, the minimum rider age may be reduced from 25 to 21 years. This proposal is almost complete and will soon be sent to Parliament for approval.
He also talked about efforts to bring back Ghana’s national airline through a public-private partnership, as well as ongoing upgrades to airport infrastructure and the Ghana Civil Aviation Training Academy.
The Minister revealed that the Ministry is studying how to use coastal transport routes to ease road traffic, opening a new DVLA branch in Adenta, and preparing to add new buses to Metro Mass Transit and STC to improve public transportation services.
During the visit, members of the Committee also toured the Civil Aviation Authority and the Civil Aviation Training Centre to learn more about their operations.
