The Management of the Metro Mass Transit
(MMT) Limited, a transportation company, has introduced what it termed
"Operation Show Your Ticket," to ensure that all passengers pay the right
fare when travelling on the buses.
Under the system, passengers are expected to ensure that they get their
tickets before boarding the bus, failure to do so would attract sanctions
including paying 15 times the fare charged or in default be prosecuted.
Mr Stephen Abukari, Upper East Regional Manager of MMT said this during
a sensitization programme on "Operation Show Your Ticket" in Bolgatanga.
Passengers at the various stations where MMT operates were sensitized
in all the nine districts in the region.
Mr Abukari entreated passengers who patronized the buses to insist on
their tickets upon payment so as to avoid embarrassment.
He said it had been observed that most passengers smuggled their way
into the buses while some bus conductors took passengers' fare and refused
to issue tickets to them thereby cheating the Company.
Mr Abukari noted that those negative practices were affecting the
smooth running of the Company and that management needed more money to be
able to maintain the buses to serve the public effectively.
He said management had put in place stringent measures to check
malpractices in the Company which included summarily dismissal of workers
who cheated the Company.
As part of the sensitization programme, Mr Abukari and a team from
Accra visited personalities including the Regional Minister, District Chief
Executives and the Paramount Chief of Bolgatanga, Naba Martin Abilba III.
Mr Abukari appealed to the political heads and the Paramount Chief to
preach the message to their people to ensure they collected a ticket when
boarding the buses.
He said the region had 34 MMT Buses, including one that had broken
down, and that 10 buses would be added to the number before the end of the
year.