Prez Mahama commissions 50 new buses for ISTC
The state-owned Inter-City STC Company (ISTC), which suffered virtual collapse, has been given a lifeline with the commissioning of 50 brand-new Scania Marcopolo buses to ply both local and international routes.
Advertisement
The 44 and 50-seater coaches were commissioned yesterday by President John Mahama who gave an assurance that if the rejuvenated company operated efficiently, the government was ready to guarantee the acquisition of additional buses.
Some of the features of the new buses are free WiFi, washroom, mobile phone charging points for every seat, six security cameras - two in front, two in the interior and two at the back, a fridge, coffee machines and a television set and video equipment. The company also has IT systems to track the movement of the buses from the national office in Accra.
Competition
Describing the ISTC as once the pride of Ghana, the President expressed the hope that the company would survive. “For as long as I remain President I will make sure that this company survives.”
He said the government believed there could be healthy competition between the public and private sectors. “So ISTC is not going to take anybody’s market share. It is going to be a competition and I think the efficiency and the benefits will go to the Ghanaian public.”
President Mahama suggested that the operations of the ISTC Training School be enhanced for drivers in both the public and private sectors to help curb road accidents.
He urged the management to take a strong view at after-sales service so that the buses would last.
The President debunked the perception that the state could not run businesses successfully.
“I don’t believe so. I believe state enterprises could run efficiently and profitably as being witnessed in companies like Tema Oil Refinery, Bulk Oil and Storage Transport (BOST) and GiHOC Distilleries,” he said.
Improvement
The managing director of the company, Mr Samuel Nuamah-Donkor, said since the board assumed office, salaries had never been in arrears.
Mr Nuamah-Donkor said with the latest injection of life in the company, “we have no business to fail.”
He mentioned some of the measures taken to include turning the nine ISTC stations in the regional capitals into multi-purpose terminals from where other companies could load and pay some amount to raise revenue to the ISTC. Besides, he said, the company was also going to introduce a modern parcel service.
He commended the workers for their sacrifices that had contributed to revival of the company. The drivers of the company go through several test including alcohol, blood pressure and temperature before embarking on any journey
Background
Formerly known as State Transport Company (STC), the company was known for the safety, comfort and reliability of its buses. However over the past decade, the company was saddled with huge debts leading to its almost collapse.
According to Mr Nuamah-Donkor, the situation led to the inability by the company to pay six months salaries of workers during that period.
At another period, the workers decided to forgo their salaries to enable the company acquire two buses to support their operations.
Mr Nuamah-Donkor said, “The company took a downturn and the once enviable company was not only dying, but it was sent to the hospital and immediately it arrived in the hospital it was taken to the Intensive Care Unit because it was comatose.“
He commended the President for the laudable role he played in reviving the company saying, “While the company was in the state of coma, there was a saviour and that saviour was no other person than the President of this country, John Dramani Mahama.”
The President sealed the deal during his official visit to Sweden where he held discussions with Scania officials after which a memorandum of understanding was signed for delivery of the buses for ISTC and those for the Bus Rapid Transit.
President Mahama being served on one of the buses