Development economist Dr. Hayford Mensah Ayerakwa has warned that Ghana could be losing more than the estimated GH¢4.5 billion annually due to traffic congestion, describing the figure as “very conservative.”
A report by Glima Research, a consulting firm, estimated that Ghana’s growing urban mobility crisis where commuters spend long hours in traffic during peak periods is costing the economy about GH¢4.5 billion every year.
But speaking to Desmond Okraku Danso on Good Afternoon Ghana on Metro TV on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, Dr. Hayfrod Ayerakwa said the gridlock may be affecting Ghana more than estimated.
He noted that the country is wasting valuable resources because of poor transport planning and rigid work structures.
“I completely want to commend the team that conducted this research,” he said, noting that previous concerns about traffic-related losses lacked firm data.
“But if you ask me… I think the estimate is very conservative. If I look at the disaggregation and how much they are allocating to productivity loss, I think for me that is likely even going to be more than what they are estimating.”
Dr. Ayerakwa criticised what he described as reactive approaches to public transport challenges, especially during peak periods in December and January when commuters were left stranded at terminals.
“We are mobilizing, let’s go for buses here, let’s get people here. And it’s always an ad hoc solution,” he said.
“But no country develops on an ad hoc policy. You need a long-term strategy.”
According to him, successive governments have often responded to transport crises by procuring additional buses, but that approach has not addressed the structural problems.
“I don’t see any government in the next five to 10 years having the capacity and the ability to put in buses that can adequately address the situation,” he stated.
Instead, he said government’s primary responsibility should be to create an enabling environment for a properly regulated transport system.
Dr. Ayerakwa pointed to the dominance of informal “trotro” services and the lack of clear standards in the sector.
“Anybody just jumps from nowhere and puts their vehicle on the road. And because passengers are stranded, anything goes as long as it can move them from point A to point B. That is not the way to develop,” he said.
He proposed the introduction of national standards for public transport, including certification requirements and designated routes similar to rail systems.
“You must begin to designate your roads into lines… There should be a system in place that we can use,” he said, adding that basic digital tools could be introduced to manage routes and shuttling services. “It is not rocket science. Simple coding, simple digitalization can help.”
The economist further argued that Ghana must rethink its traditional work culture, especially the rigid 8 am. to 5 pm. schedule that forces millions onto the roads at the same time.
“Why should everybody be heading to the city center about the same time?” he asked.
“We’ve gone past the system and we need to begin to reform.”
He advocated for greater adoption of remote work, saying the COVID-19 period proved that many organisations could function effectively without daily physical presence.
“The number one cost is the investment in training and the basic logistics,” he explained.
“As long as, for me, you can use a smartphone, training you to be able to do remote work shouldn’t be difficult.”
He suggested a shift from attendance-based supervision to performance-based systems.
“It is no longer me going to check on whether you are seated by a computer or not, it is about making sure that I am assigning you a task and your job is to deliver on that task,” he said.
According to him, allowing employees to work remotely at least two or three days a week would ease congestion and improve quality of life.
“People will have a healthier life. People would have extra time and enjoy more family life… Companies will save on utilities, they will save on bills, they will save on transport,” he added.
Dr. Ayerakwa also encouraged the development of structured carpooling systems to reduce the number of private vehicles on the roads.
“A lot of the traffic we talk about, you also see that they are mostly people driving their private vehicles,” he observed.
He described carpooling as a viable business opportunity, where individuals within the same locality could sign up for shared rides.
“I’ve got a car and I am willing to pool people along… I pick you up. We head in the same direction… You pay,” he said.
For him, the ongoing congestion crisis should not only be seen as a challenge but also as a trigger for innovation.
“There are a lot of innovations that for me this presents and it is not new. Others have done it. We should be able to adopt and make it that way,” he noted.
