Reports that went viral on both mainstream and social media alleged that some suspected NPP youth, during an auction, broke into the MMT stores and left the premises with spare parts.

But the MMT’s Northern Regional Depot Manager, Malik Ibrahim, rubbished the reports in a Citi News interview.

He admitted that the auction took place, but insisted that none of the bidders in the crowd had attacked the company’s stores.

“It is true that we did some auction, and there was a crowd in our yard, but actually nothing of that sort happened,” he said.

“I am putting it on record that none of my parts in the stores were stolen. All our properties are intact.”

He urged the media to desist from politicizing the auction, saying, “the general public came because it is an open auction. People came from all walks of life and so we don’t know which political party’s members were there.”

–

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com

The post Northern MMT denies attack on their office by NPP youth appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Titus Glover, who made this known in an interview with Citi News, said the buses will be provided early next year.

[contextly_sidebar id=”jAykeD6ksXVlXAPU0uv0NNRjtViJhGIi”]“In the 2018 budget…the Ministry of Finance is going to support us to have 50 new buses, which the contract has been awarded, and the contractors have accepted the content of the contract, the letter of credit is yet to be fulfilled by the Ministry of Finance. If that is done, I can assure that by next year, hopefully by January or February, we should be seeing 50 buses”he said.

He entreated the management of Metro Mass Transit Company Limited, to ensure that the buses are maintained for them to last long enough.

“…But let me say with these new buses that have come, it behooves on the management, the board and the workers of Metro Mass, to take good care of the buses because these buses are going to work to pay for itself, the culture of the Metro Mass has to change,” he said.

The Metro Mass Transit Limited is a public transportation company set up in 2001, to provide reliable and affordable means of transport for commuters within villages, towns, and cities as well as provide intercity movement.

Gov’t to purchase 800 new buses for MMT, STC

Government in July said it will purchase 800 new buses for the Metro Mass Transit and Inter-City State Transport Corporation.

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, who revealed this when he delivered the mid-year budget review in Parliament, said in all, 200 of the buses will operate on compress natural gas while the 600 others will operate on diesel.

“…As part of Government’s effort to improve public mass transportation, the Ministry initiated processes for the acquisition of buses for the two Public Bus Companies. The objective is to improve the current bus fleet of Metro Mass and Inter-City State Transport Corporation (ISCT). In all, a total of 800 buses will be acquired. These include 200 Compress Natural Gas (CNG) and 500 diesel buses for the Metro Mass Transit and the remaining 100 diesel buses for ISTC,” he added.

–

By: Farida Yusif/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Metro Mass Transit to get 50 new buses in 2018 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The lay off was deemed necessary because it has 3,600 workers operating a fleet of 430 buses currently on the road.

[contextly_sidebar id=”pHQn98ja9Ylg651wyKSPVZWIsrRz7R5v”]But the cost of laying off those workers will be much higher than simply maintaining them on the company’s wage bill.

The Board Chairman of the MMT, Ahmed Arthur, in an interview with the Daily Graphic noted that “it’s a difficult enterprise to keep the huge number of workers to operate only 430 buses”.

“It’s a delicate balance for us to keep that number of workers with few buses, and still be able to stay afloat…When we worked out the figures for laying off 1,200 workers, we realized that the figures were too huge and so we had to discard the idea of retrenchment,” he said to the paper.

Currently, the MMT makes a daily revenue of GH¢220,000 from the 430 buses in operation.

Mr. Arthur explained that, “with 3,600 workers operating 430 buses, it will mean that, on the average, each bus will be assigned, seven workers. We have to live with this number until we are able to acquire more buses so that we can have an optimum workforce.”

320 buses off-road

The MMT is said to have 750 buses, but 320 of them have broken down, leaving 430 on the road.

The government in July 2017, indicated that, it would soon purchase 800 new buses for the Metro Mass Transit and Inter-City State Transport Corporation (ISCT).

The buses will operate on compressed natural gas, while the 600 others will operate on diesel.

In September, workers of the company left many passengers stranded when they refused to work in protest of poor working conditions, and the management’s inability to fix challenges the company has been grappling with.

The workers also highlighted the new board’s decision to purchase a new vehicle for the Managing Director at GH¢100,000, when about 100 buses of the company needed urgent repair.

Mr. Arthur, in an earlier interview with Citi News, however refuted claims that the management of the MMT was working in its selfish interests, despite the company’s dwindling fortunes.

He also denied that his outfit was paying the workers although they were redundant, due to reduced operational capacity, noting that the company had plans to purchase some more buses to boost its operations, and the workers will be needed to man the new buses.

He said the company expects 200 more buses by December 2017 to bolster its fleet.

–

By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Keeping redundant workers cheaper for MMT – Board Chair appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The body of the lady, aged 24, who is yet to be identified, had been deposited at the morgue of the same hospital, while the other victim identified as Hannah Kobina, 27 died at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where she was referred to.

[contextly_sidebar id=”79zHIYIAvP9m08FFXhJGATM71vR1QmfB”] Fifty of sixty-six others who sustained various degrees of injury and were sent to St. Francis Xavier Polyclinic at Assin Fosu have been discharged

Central Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Irene Oppong, who confirmed the accident, said it occurred around 4:00am on Saturday afternoon between an MMT bus with registration number AS 5665-Z and a Man Diesel Long vehicle with registration number As 7994-10.

She said the MMT bus was traveling from Kumasi to Takoradi, while the Man Diesel Vehicle was traveling from the opposite direction.

The driver of the man diesel vehicle who escaped unhurt has been arrested by the police to assist in investigations.

–

Source: GNA

The post Metro Mass bus accident claims 2 lives at Nyankomasi appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the new management has turned around the fortunes of the company and increased its profit margins, and is not involved in any malfeasance as alleged by workers.

[contextly_sidebar id=”IJOiwcEVxawHlokrUdnjcmjPOuU5NTwD”]The workers of the company on Wednesday left many passengers stranded at the Kumasi depot, as they refused to work in protest of what said were poor working conditions and the management’s inability to fix challenges the company has been grappling with.

They expressed disgust that the new board’s decision to purchase a new vehicle for the Managing Director when about 100 buses of the company needed urgent repair.

But Ahmed Arthur in an interview on Eyewitness News said the board is considering purchasing a vehicle for the company’s Deputy Managing Director but had not authorized the purchase yet.

He noted that although the board deemed it necessary because the deputy director was using his personal vehicle, it intended to purchase it later.

“We now have two deputy MDs. Hitherto we had one deputy, and the two deputies means that now we have to get a vehicle for one of the deputies. It was necessary that we got one of the deputies a new car, but when we had a management meeting, we agreed that an arrangement is made to purchase one for the deputy later…We haven’t bought any car for the MD,” he said.

He noted that the company had significantly increased its daily income since the new management took over, contrary to claims by the workers.

“The fortunes of the company were dwindling before he [the managing director] came in. He came here only 4 months ago so you cannot claim that he is the one who has presided over the dwindling of the fortunes of the company. It is not right,” he said.

“For the past two months, the fortune of the company is beginning to appreciate. We used to make 130,000 cedis a day, now we are making 230,000 and so there is a turnaround for the company,” he added.

Ahmed Arthur expressed shock with the stance of the workers, noting that he took the decision to retain them at the company although its capacity had reduced and there was the need for some to “shed some weight.”

He denied that his outfit was paying the workers although they were redundant, due to reduced operational capacity, noting that the company had plans to purchase some more buses to boost its operations and the workers will be needed to man the new buses.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post MMT Board Chair denies workers’ allegations of wrongdoing appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The workers were protesting what they described as poor working conditions and management’s inability to fix challenges the company has been grappling with.

The passengers resorted to alternative means of transport to get to their various destinations.

Some of the affected passengers who spoke to Citi News expressed their frustrations about the situation.

Deputy General Secretary for the Local branch of the Ghana Transport Petrol Chemicals Workers Union, Philip Kwabena Amoano, said the protest will persist if management fails to address their grievances.

–

By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Passengers stranded in Kumasi as MMT drivers protest poor conditions appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta who revealed this in Parliament on Monday said in all 200 of the buses will operate on compress natural gas while the 600 others will operate on diesel.

[contextly_sidebar id=”fwmFd6ggYpKUKp1oPlfYtyl8ucMlghco”]“…As part of Government’s effort to improve public mass transportation, the Ministry initiated processes for the acquisition of buses for the two Public Bus Companies. The objective is to improve the current bus fleet of Metro Mass and Inter-City State Transport Corporation (ISCT).”

“In all a total of 800 buses will be acquired. These include 200 Compress Natural Gas (CNG) and 500 diesel buses for the Metro Mass Transit and the remaining 100 diesel buses for ISTC,” he added.

Mr. Ofori-Attah made the promise when he delivered the mid-year budget review in Parliament on Monday.

This comes on the back of complaints by both companies of lack of buses.

The State Transport Company earlier said it was looking to acquire some buses idling under the Quality Bus System (QBS) system, popularly known as Aayalolo, to augment its fleet.

The Managing Director of STC, Nana Akomea explained that his outfit needed a minimum fleet strength of 150 buses but currently has less than 50.

“Despite slight difference in the configuration, it will be possible for us to look at some of them and see which of them can be deployed for the short haul… It is a matter of rethinking how to redeploy the buses that are sitting idle,” he added.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Gov’t to purchase 800 new buses for MMT, STC appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to them, Mr Oduro cannot claim to be the head when a Daniel Agyenim Boateng, the Deputy Regional Organizer of the party has already been appointed as the Manager.

[contextly_sidebar id=”YsCab4xLUZp05yDRp8kwQ74on6ekcOwt”]The youth, who vowed to ensure that Mr Oduro does not occupy any office at the premises of the company claimed a leading member of the NPP, Mr Amoako Tuffour was behind the “illegal” appointment of Nicholas Oduro.

About 20 police officers were deployed to ensure calm and avert any disturbances.

According to the Suame Divisional Police Commander, DSP D. O. Lomotey, the police will ensure maximum security to ensure calm.

Kingsley Addo, the Chairperson of the Ashanti Regional NPP Organizers Association told Citi News that the association did not endorse the unilateral decision by Dr. Tuffuor.

“We the organizers in the Ashanti Region, we do not support any decision by Dr. Amoako Tuffuor so we appeal to Nana Akufo-Addo to help us keep Daniel for us as a Depot Manager. Daniel has been a hard-working organizer. He has done a marvelous job for us and that is why were are supporting him. What Dr. Amoako Tuffuor is rather doing is illegal. One position cannot go to two people,” he said.

He further threatened that the association will do whatever it takes to ensure that Daniel Agyenim Boateng retains the position.

“Daniel had the appointment first, so we don’t know what has changed now.”

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NPP youth storm Ashanti MMT terminal over new director appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He said the company was likely to suspend operations in the next two years if new buses were not brought on board.

Mr. Kumi told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Sunyani that, out of the 61 fleet of buses in the region, only 45 of them were on the road, adding that the others were grounded beyond repairs.

He said passenger safety was the hallmark of the company, and asked passengers to report reckless drivers and recalcitrant conductors to the company.

Mr. Kumi also appealed to staff of the company to work hard and contribute to the decision making process so as to uplift the image of the company.

–

Source: GNA

The post B/Ahafo MMT to suspend operations over limited buses appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

California’s court also ordered him to pay $80,900 (£47,160) in damages, serve five days of community service and complete an anger management programme.

Bieber, 20, was not present in court for the arraignment.

The singer faces two other criminal cases in Florida and Toronto.

“Justin is glad to get this matter resolved and behind him,” Bieber’s representatives said in a statement after the verdict by Los Angeles Superior Court in Van Nuys.

“He will continue to move forward focusing on his career and his music.”

‘High-fiving friends’

Investigators searched Bieber’s Calabasas home in California in January for evidence after the egging apparently caused serious damage.

One of the singer’s friends was arrested on drug possession charges after that search.

The LA County Sheriff’s Office say they were looking for surveillance video tapes when they spotted the drugs “in plain view”.

Surveillance footage seized from the home appears to show Bieber high-fiving friends and celebrating after throwing eggs at his neighbour’s home, police said.

The pop star could have faced a more serious felony charge if the damage to the home had been greater than $20,000.

He has since moved out of Calabasas to Beverly Hills.

Two previous investigations into Bieber’s conduct by the sheriff’s department did not lead to charges.

Prosecutors declined to charge him last year after a neighbour complained he drove recklessly through the area, and in November 2012 after a paparazzi photographer accused Bieber of assault.

Meanwhile, Miami authorities have charged him with driving under the influence and driving without a valid licence. That trial is due to take place later this month.

And Toronto prosecutors have accused Bieber of assaulting a limosine driver in December.

Source: BBC

The post Bieber gets two years’ probation for vandalism appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.