It’s Africa’s number one private owned vehicle operated by a driver and a conductor, popularly known as mate who collects fares and responsible by yelling for passengers. Aside the usual mates who are males, there is some females nowadays as mates. This commercial vehicles travels any type of routes anytime, anywhere to a preferable destination of commuters. But, unless it is filled to capacity, it does not set into motion.
“Dala dala” is its original name in Tanzania and “Matatu” in Kenya. But, right here in Ghana, it is known as “Tro-Tro” meaning “three pence”; penny coins used during the era of Ghana’s colonial days. The name originated from the Ga language word “Tro”. Thus, during the colonial days the mass transit vehicle charged passengers “three pence” per trip. Hence being referred to as “Tro-Tros” ever since till date. Some of the types include: “Boneshaker”, “A-ro-glass” or “face me”, Tata bus, Mini bus, and Mercedes Benz Sprinter. Some of these buses though outmoded are still in use till date.
“Tro-Tro” is a popular means of transport used by 70% of Ghanian commuters to work or any destination within the country as of 2010 till date. It is patronize by all kinds of people irrespective of their social classes; profession, religion, culture, literate or illiterate.
“Tro-Tros” in Ghana is licensed by the government, although the industry is self-regulated with syndicates which include: the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA). The role of this syndicates is to oversee minibus shared-taxis-like “Tro-Tro” in the country. And also to collect dues, set routes, manage terminals and fix fares. For instance, the GPRTU as an organization have branches in all 10 regions of Ghana, and is also a member of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Meanwhile, the value of “Tro-Tro” is not the same compare to its services they offer. Hence there is no value for money. In fact, the trauma passengers go through is just appalling. From the outset, some passengers struggle most especially the aged and the physically challenged just to board the “Tro-Tro”.
In the world of “Tro-Tro” are so many nitty gritties. Just as in every family there is a family head, “Tro-Tro” drivers also serves as the head of the “Tro-Tro” family in their world. Unfortunately, seat belts are ignored when drivers sit behind the steering wheel. Unless they are about to approach check points, the seat belts which at times are even not in good shape is just used as a care of. Whereas, human lives are at stake. Some of the “Tro-Tro drivers” are not even licensed as those that are even licensed needs renewal.
Some of the passengers’ seats are been rip off exposing the corrosive metal at the mercy of passengers. Leading to either a cut or a tear of an unfortunate passengers dress before alighting. An incident of that happened when a young girl in a skirt and blouse just alighted from the “Tro-Tro” and her skirt was hooked on a metal close to the front seat. And as she pull herself, her colorful skirt just torn. The young girl balanced herself and walk away from the scene.
Some of the “Tro-Tros” are obsolete but interestingly, it is being patched. Because it cannot even be repaired. During rainy season,it is worse in “Tro-Tro” as it cannot provide one a shelter. Some unfortunate passengers cannot escape drops of rain.They have no choice than to endure.
At times, some drivers feign if the vehicle cannot even with stand certain hours on the road to a commuter or a passenger’s destination. This “Tro-Tro drivers” rather wait for the vehicle to jerk or shortage of petrol. Before they run helter skelter to check the engine of the vehicle, and even that as if they are unaware about the whole incident. As passengers just stand aloof, yell or just walk away from the vehicle to pick another one. Meanwhile, the payment of the fare in the middle of the journey of a passenger’s destination becomes another uproar between the mate and passengers.
Another sad issue is that passengers chase “Tro-Tros” during rush hours right in the middle of the road the driver stops for passengers to get on board which creates vehicular traffic. At times, there is also confusion among the passengers that might even lead to a brawl just to be first to get on board before the seats are occupied.
Again, most of the “Tro-Tros” are not fit for the roads. During one of the weekdays, one of the “Tro-Tro drivers” from Darkuman to Lapaz complain to some passengers in a conversation about the attitude of some MTTU (Motor Traffic and Transport Unit) personnel now MTTD(Motor Traffic and Transport Department), an agency under the Ghana Police Service responsible for road safety in Ghana. The ” Tro-Tro driver” said most of the MTTD personnel demand GH¢20 from all the “Tro-Tro” vehicles in Darkuman, Lapaz, and Tabora including other places in Accra. As those unfortunate, pay more than the standard fee including private vehicles. Hence immediately you are being asked to stop, they claim you are at fault. You either “do before you complain” or else you would be sent to the nearest Police Station to answer some charges. The monies are later shared among themselves.
According to some of the objectives of the MTTD which is to ensure free flow of motor traffic, some of these MTTD personnel rather deviate from the main objective and extort monies from the drivers. And also to prevent “loss of lives” and damage to property on Ghana’s roads, some of these MTTD personnel rather stand aloof as pedestrians tried to cross the road most especially school children on the highway.
The “Tro-Tro” driver in his lament said before the day ends, whatever profit they make as drivers is not worth it. Why? Because this same “Tro-Tro drivers” pay taxes and levies to self-regulated syndicates including the GPRTU and PROTOA. As MTTD personnel also take their share leaving them to be left with no profit at all as they even buy petrol at the end of the day. Hence this same “Tro-Tro drivers” and transport owners cannot afford to repair their own vehicle if the need be. Since they claim they cannot even survive on what they earn.
In fact, I quite remember one morning, my experience of a “Tro-Tro” vehicle I board. Everything about the vehicle was disorganized including the steering wheel assembly as some wires were been connected. Is it the fault of the drivers and transport owners by the kind of vehicles on our roads this days? Well, just to balance the story and know whether the grievances of the drivers’ union syndicates are considered, my checks at one of the GPRTU branch in Accra was one of a toss. I just experience the “Mary go round” scenario as I was asked to come the following day for information. They claim a lot of people come to seek for information yet nothing is been done about their complaint to the government.
Well, is high time commenters get in return value for their monies. Whether “Tro-Tro drivers” have challenges that need to be address or not. This has been long-overdue about the trauma commenters go through as “Tro-Tro” is concerned. Anytime there is an increment of transport fares, the should be in return good service for value of monies of commenters or passengers. The should be an “increment of value” too for the comfortability of passengers.
Wait a minute, are we still waiting as a country to experience another tragic fatal accident as we always do as a country before proper measures are put in place in the hands of “Tro-Tro”? “Prevention is better than cure”.
Government and stakeholders together with other abled institutions including the transport unions (GPRTU, PROTOA), MTTD should come under one umbrella to check the menace of “Tro-Tro” on our roads before lives are lost.
By Prince Schroeder (Intern)
