World Bank praises Kumasi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project
The World Bank has hailed the Kumasi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project as an important initiative with the potential to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce unemployment and stimulate regional economic growth.
This strong support came from the World Bank Vice President for West and Central Africa, Osmane Diagana, during a recent visit to the project site and meeting with the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Extensive visits to sites allocated for the project and courtesy calls from the World Bank, Ashanti Regional Transport Coordination Director, KMA Transport Unit and other stakeholders put things in place quickly to speed up the process. was intended.
Diagana emphasized the importance of witnessing project locations firsthand, saying, “No food can replace sight. It was absolutely amazing to be able to see where the projects would be implemented.” . He noted that this personal observation underlined the World Bank's commitment to ensuring that projects are effectively tailored to Kumasi's specific needs.
The Vice President emphasized that the BRT project is not just a transportation solution, but a strategic response to major global trends such as rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change.
He highlighted the potential to empower young people by providing access to employment opportunities in urban areas, saying, “We know that the world can generate anywhere, but by nature it cannot be generated in big cities.'' “I can do it,” he explained.
Speaking on Kumasi’s important role as Africa’s major commercial hub, Diagana highlighted the BRT project as essential to unlocking the city’s economic potential. He said: “Of course, we will not be able to take full advantage of this opportunity. If at the same time we are not also working on how to modernize our transport system, we will not be able to take advantage of the potential associated with our organization.” I did.
Diagana further revealed that BRT projects act as catalysts for broader economic development and have proven success in Africa, Latin America and Asia. He emphasized the importance of adapting these successful models to the Ghanaian context to accelerate project implementation. “We are using the Ghanaian context to make this project faster,” he asserted.
He also emphasized the need for seamless collaboration between all stakeholders, including governments, municipalities, landowners and operators, with the goal of securing project approvals by June.
In a show of support, Mr. Diagana pledged the World Bank's unwavering commitment to providing the necessary resources and expertise to ensure the project's success.
Additionally, he acknowledged the valuable input from Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, stressing that his feedback will be thoroughly considered in the project planning.
About the project;
The Kumasi BRT project is a comprehensive effort to establish a modern bus rapid transit system in the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA). The main objectives of the project include reducing traffic congestion, reducing travel times and increasing the efficiency of public transport.
By providing reliable and predictable transit, the BRT system not only facilitates the smooth movement of people, but also plays an important role in economic development, creation of employment opportunities and making Kumasi an attractive investment destination. It is expected that it will also be useful as a tool.
This initiative is supported by the World Bank, government partners, and other key stakeholders.
