STC Crisis Deepens: Passengers Stranded, no Bus to Bolga,Tamale, Wa
Hundreds of passengers traveling from Accra to northern destinations—including Tamale, Bolga, and Wa—found themselves stranded at the Intercity STC (State Transport Company) Awudome Terminal today, highlighting a deepening crisis within the state-owned transport giant.
Despite booking tickets in advance for departures scheduled at 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 4:00 PM, masses of travelers remained stuck at the terminal well into the evening, with no clear indication of when, or if, they would depart.
While official announcements from STC staff cited minor maintenance delays and promised buses within the hour, an inside source speaking on the condition of anonymity painted a much grimmer picture.
According to the official, a significant number of the STC fleet has been grounded for months due to a lack of repairs.
The few buses remaining in operation must undergo immediate workshop servicing after every single trip before they are deemed safe for the next journey.
Sources within the company suggest that fewer than nine buses are currently active across the entire country, with some of these being diverted to international routes like Ouagadougou and Abidjan.
Efforts to reach the Managing Director, Al-Hassan Ligbi, were unsuccessful as his officers declined speaking on the matter at the time of reporting.
Voices of Frustration
The atmosphere at the Awudome Terminal shifted from patience to palpable anger as the sun began to set. For many, the delay is more than a mere inconvenience; it is a disruption of livelihoods and personal safety.
”I chose STC because they used to be the ‘gold standard’ for safety,” said one passenger traveling to Tamale.
“Now, I am sitting on my luggage at 5:00 PM with no bus in sight. I have a funeral to attend, and I’ve wasted half a day sitting in the heat,” a visibly frustrated passenger said.
Common grievances among the stranded passengers included financial challenges, as some of the travelers had already spent their remaining cash on food and water while waiting, leaving little for alternative transport if they were to leave the terminal.
Safety Concerns
Traveling to the North at night is a major concern for many due to road safety and security issues. “By the time we leave—if we leave—we will be arriving in the middle of the night. It isn’t safe,” another traveler lamented.
Several passengers expressed deep regret for choosing the state-owned carrier, noting that the company’s decline since 2021 has become impossible to ignore.
The Downward Spiral
The State Transport Company, once the pride of Ghana’s road travel industry, has been reportedly struggling since 2021.
Despite various attempts at rebranding and recovery under previous leadership, the current shortage of operational vehicles suggests the company is nearing a breaking point.
As of 5:17 PM, not a single bus destined for Bolga, Tamale, or Wa had arrived for boarding. For the hundreds left waiting, the “Akayet” of the north feels further away than ever.
Source: expressnewsghana.com
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