“We need to have a policy towards street lightening on all our highways. That will be one of the key things to be done to reduce accidents on our roads. Most of our roads do not have good lighting system, and so, at any point in time that the weather changes, accidents are likely to occur. So government must start implementing policies to address it. For example, solar lights can be fixed on all the major roads,” Nelson Attipoe, Business Transformation Manager, VIP Premium, said at the launch of the VIP Premium Service in Kumasi last Friday.

Also commenting on some of the challenges transport operators are currently facing, Dennis Kusi, Operations Manager, VIP, urged government to reduce taxes and duties on imported buses, as the current tax regime is taking a toll on their operations.

“We want government to reduce the taxes for us, especially on our importation of buses and importationof spare parts. The duties and taxes we pay at the ports are too high so we want government to cut it down for us, so that we can import more buses and spare parts to address the transportation challenges we have in the country,” he said.

Mr. Kusi further assured that, VIP will continue to offer quality services that will ensure passenger safety during their travel.

About VIP Premium Service

Some of the benefits the Premium Service will make available for commuters that cannot be found in the regular VIP buses include: free WiFi services, no luggage charges of up to 30kg load, breakfast and refreshment, an executive waiting area, mobile money services, and night police escort which will soon be introduced.

With the VIP Premium Service, the bus will set off each day—Monday to Saturday— at 10:00am and 12 noon, and Sunday at 2:00pm from the Asokwa Shell (KFC) opposite the Kumasi City Mall to the Airport Shell, close to the Kotoka International Airport.

This follows the successful launch of the same service from Accra to Kumasi in March this year.

Commenting on the partnership, Jerry Boachie-Danquah, VIVO Ghana Marketing Manager, said the collaboration between his outfit and VIP is an attestation that the two companies believe in offering quality products and service to clients.

He also assured customers that Shell will maintain its standard of offering quality fuels to clients at best and competitive prices.

“Shell is committed to providing value for our customers by providing long-lasting fuels in full quantity and at best prices,” he said.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Fix street lights on major roads to reduce accidents appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This would be some 12-months ahead of the Roads and Highways Minister, Kwesi Amoako-Atta’s estimation.

[contextly_sidebar id=”rkR7QRYUrMmvZZu1ga8g6NRGJS5EkRGf”]Mr. Anang-La admitted the need for streetlights in the Tema metropolis as a whole, which he described as being “completely dark” and said the Assembly’s “Tema restoration agenda” was going to serve as a solution to the problem.

Over GHc40 million will be needed to ensure the whole Tema Metropolis is well lit, he noted to Citi News.

“Tema, which is a city within the capital [Region], and we cannot continue this way. We need to restore Tema to its past glory… we want to put streetlights on the motorway stretch and all the major roads within Tema,” the MCE affirmed.

He said documentation processes in this regard have been completed and “we are making some efforts at the [Roads and Highways] ministry to get some push.”

Per the Roads and Highways Minister’s assertion, the erection of new streetlights will be a waste of resources because they would eventually be torn down for the expansion of the Tema Motorway.

Mr. Anang-La concurred with the Minister’s assessment but reminded that providing the rest of Tema would still go ahead.

“Since there is going to be some constructions, it is ideal and a good idea that we leave it till they complete it but doesn’t stop the Assembly from putting the streetlights in other parts of Tema where road construction is already completed.”

He, however, maintained that the security implications of the motorway without streetlights were serious and required urgent attention.

“… it has become a security issue now and we cannot compromise on security… I will go back to the Minister to discuss this because it is something that the Metropolis wants to put across.”

All things being equal, Mr. Anang assured that “before December [2017], we will see all the streetlights [on the motorway].”

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

The post Tema Motorway: MCE to push for streetlights before expansion appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

There are reports that the Accra-Tema Motorway has not seen major repair works in the last decade despite the huge sums of money the road generates in the form of tolls.

The Motorway is said to have developed huge potholes and can only boast of few streetlights thus causing a number of accidents at night.

The closest medical facility to the motorway – the Tema General Hospital – is also said to be overwhelmed with the number of daily accidents cases it attends to.

The Citi Breakfast Show team wanting to have such instances forestalled said they will not back down until the road is fixed.

“We want to tell the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the department of Urban roads, the Ghana Highway Authority to prioritize fixing the motorway and we need streetlights on that road before the end of the year. Whatever it will take for that to happen must be done as soon as possible,” Show host, Bernard Avle stated.

Economic Importance

The motorway is an integral part of our economy.

It is estimated that about 70,000 vehicles use the motorway daily.

The 19-kilometre road commissioned in November 1965 by the Kwame Nkrumah administration forms part of the National Route 1(N1), which starts from Aflao (in the Volta Region) and ends in Elubo (in the Western Region).

It is also part of the Trans West African Highway (Abidjan-Lagos Corridor) and also links the capital city, Accra, to the Kotoka International Airport and the Tema Port.

Over 500 potholes

There are unconfirmed reports that over 500 potholes could be found on the road.

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

The post Citi Breakfast Show launches campaign to get Accra-Tema Motorway fixed appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Energy Minister, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah has promised the problem will be over by 2015 when gas from the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant and other projects come on stream.

He said gas from Atuabo would minimise the volume and the cost of crude oil the country imported to power its thermal plants.

But speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Ishmael Agyekum said the short term solution to the current crisis will not suffice.

“I know that there are developments that are ongoing and there are power plans that are being considered but I have my doubts that these power plans are going to come on stream by next year,” he explained.

Offering a  short term solution to Ghana’s energy crises, he however advised that the country conserves and uses energy efficiently to control the situation and have the country’s systems running.

Mr. Agyekum further emphasized the need for the stakeholders in the energy sector to ensure that the country has adequate supply of energy saying “if we want to develop, we want to grow, we want to do anything as a country, we have to ensure that we have adequate capacity to meet not just the current demand but also future and the suppressed demand that we have in the system.”

He also advised major stakeholders in the energy sector to take the bold decision and make the right investments in the energy sector.

The country has been facing major energy crises in recent times. The problem has generated public outcry with residents in the various parts of the country complaining about the problem.

The World Bank among others has also predicted that the proble will last for sometime.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Gov’t can’t resolve energy crises by 2015– Energy Analyst appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.