Ghana’s trotro – a viewpoint

Coleen Ross, a CBC radio and TV reporter, choose Ghana as destination, during her vacation early last year. She wrote an article published on the CBC News website about her experience with trotro: “Travelling by Tro-tro”
If you have been to Ghana before, you would know that trotros are mini-buses/buses that convey people from one part of Accra (Ghana’s capital city) to another.

Though I did not like the article by Coleen Ross at first, I’m obliged to agree since it is a very accurate description of reality. I also find it very funny as she gives graphic details of her experience. What’s more? Her article comes with photos that would drive home the point.

“Tro-tros are as common on Ghanaian roads as potholes. These minivans provide a vital public service by transporting up to twenty passengers around the city and countryside. But to be honest, they scared me. All I saw was a seething mass of humanity: black arms, heads, and sometimes legs, sticking out of windows and doors, careening through traffic.”

On the funnier side, I have seen a trotro driver got into the bus through the window before. The bus was so full he simply climbed the front tyre from outside and hopped in. The mates kept banging so hard on the body of the wreacked bus, calling for more passengers even when it was full with some passengers already standing.
Back to Coleen’s article. Brace yourself for some rib-cracking laughter, and also put on your thinking cap as she raises very important environment/safety issues that needs to be addressed by the powers that be.

Note: If you thought this was scary enough, then that is because you have not been to Lagos in Nigeria, and have not rode in the buses known as molue before. That’s a story for another time. 😀