Accra Targets 200,000 Daily Commuters with Expanded Bus Fleet, Light Rail

The government aims to move at least 200,000 commuters a day in Accra using an expanded bus fleet and a planned city light rail network, Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga said Tuesday, setting out a phased plan that begins with squeezing more trips out of the existing Aayalolo buses before Christmas.

Speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show, Ayariga said the Aayalolo buses operating on peak-hour counter-flow lanes currently carry about 8,000 passengers each weekday. Before any light rail is built, he wants that figure doubled to 16,000 passenger journeys by Christmas 2026, and later expanded to 30,000 a day through bus capacity alone.

"As we speak, the Aayalolo buses are moving eight thousand per day. But we need to move to a point where we are moving thirty thousand per day and even up to two hundred thousand per day," he said. "And the only thing that can assist us to do that won't be buses; it has to be with the light rails."

The 200,000 target represents a 25-fold increase over current ridership and would require a rail system that does not yet exist. President John Dramani Mahama has directed Ayariga to begin discussions with the Railway Authority on introducing light rail along four major corridors into and out of the capital. Those talks are at a preliminary stage, with feasibility and route requirements still to be established.

Doubling Bus Trips Before Christmas

Ayariga said operators on the Kasoa, Amasaman and Adentan routes can double passenger numbers on the peak-hour contraflow system before new buses arrive by increasing peak journeys from three to between four and six trips. Instead of waiting in central Accra for return passengers, buses will drop off commuters and head straight back to the outlying terminals to pick up those waiting.

"I am 100 per cent sure that they can do as many as six trips, instead of the three trips," Ayariga said, adding that incremental increases should lift ridership from 8,000 to 16,000 daily as Christmas approaches.

He said the state-owned service is not intended to make a profit, though he has asked operators for clearer financial records to assess the sustainability of the extra runs. "The buses are owned by the public, so it is not entirely about making profits. It is all about breaking even," he said.

Enforcement and Lane Markings

President Mahama has instructed Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza to mark designated contraflow lanes in ongoing road reconstructions so motorists know which lanes are reserved for oncoming buses during rush hours. The government will also hand over 30 to 40 more motorbikes to the police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), with officers guarding key intersections and convoy rears to keep private drivers from following the buses into reserved lanes.

Ayariga also dismissed a viral video last week with a false voice-over claiming an Aayalolo bus had crashed.

Resistance Before the September Rollout

The minister recounted that transport sector officials resisted his proposal for motorbike-escorted contraflow lanes, arguing in his office until 10pm on the eve of the September rollout that the plan was impractical. "I had to threaten and tell them that at 5 am I will be there. If you don't drive, I will probably drive the buses myself and do contraflow so that you will see that it is possible," he recalled. After the first morning trial went smoothly and Ayariga rode on a second run to test the return journey, the officials embraced the scheme.

Background

Mahama Ayariga was nominated as Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs in August 2026, moving from his role as Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central. A lawyer trained at the University of Ghana and Harvard Law School, he previously served as Minister for Information, Youth and Sports, and Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation. He has described the local government portfolio as "where we really need a lot of fixing," citing responsibility for 261 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.

The Aayalolo Bus Rapid Transit system was introduced under a previous administration with Brazilian-built buses, but has struggled with fleet availability and congestion that undermined its dedicated-lane model. The contraflow arrangement, piloted in September 2026, allows buses to travel against normal traffic flow on selected corridors during peak hours, bypassing congestion that had rendered the BRT service unreliable.

The transport announcement comes as Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson prepares to present the 2027 Budget on Thursday, themed "New Economy, New Ghana: Jobs and Prosperity." The budget is expected to shift focus from macroeconomic stabilisation toward production and job creation, though questions remain about financing for flagship programmes including the 24-hour economy and infrastructure initiatives. Whether the light rail proposal receives a funding allocation in Thursday's budget will be a key test of the government's transport ambitions.