Don’t turn STC transformation into NPP-NDC rivalry – Nana Akomea

The Chief Executive Officer of the State Transport Company (STC) has urged Ghanaians not to turn the transformation of the venerable state institution into an NPP-NDC rivalry.

State Transport Company (STC) is set to recruit 100 young ladies as cabin crew. The move is part of numerous marketing efforts being undertaken by the new management to make the company competitive and attractive to travelers.

“The “cabin crew” service which will transform passenger service in Ghana is set to roll. Recruitment of a 100 young ladies were concluded last week. Their training is ongoing. Trial runs will start next week Wednesday.

The service will be a fully launched first week of September 2017,” Nana Akomea wrote in a Facebook post-Friday.

Some members of the public have started heaping praises on the Nana Akomea administration and bashing the previous management for doing little to make STC competitive.

However, Nana Akomea has jumped to the defense of his predecessor Hon Nuamah Donkor and his team saying they played a great role in bringing the STC back in competitive business.

“They oversaw the acquisition of 50 states of the art buses/coaches in October last year. Indeed one newly revamped station is proposed to be named for Nuamah Donkor. The new management is building on this to totally transform the operations of STC and return it to profitability. Firm arrangements have been concluded to triple STC’s fleet strength by December 2017.”

Below is Nana Akomea’s full statement on his Facebook page

I am encouraged by the interest in STC affairs expressed by Ghanaians on Facebook and elsewhere.

I will plead that the transformation of this venerable state institution is not turned into an NPP-NDC rivalry. Hon Nuamah Donkor and his team played a great role in bringing Stc back.

They oversaw the acquisition of 50 states of the art buses/coaches in October last year. Indeed one newly revamped station is proposed to be named for Nuamah Donkor.

The new management is building on this to totally transform the operations of STC and return it to profitability.

Firm arrangements have been concluded to triple STC's fleet strength by December 2017.

The E payments platform should be up and ready by end September with the support of 2 banks Stanbic and uni bank. The “cabin crew” service which will transform passenger service in Ghana is set to roll. Recruitment of a 100 young ladies were concluded last week.

Their training is ongoing. Trial runs will start next week Wednesday. The service will be fully launched the first week of September 2017. Drivers are being retrained and rebranded. The inconsistent WiFi service on the coaches is being revamped.

The difficult Accra- Kumasi route due to the presence of strong rivals is being tackled head on. With the new loading point established at Nkrumah circle last week, STC now runs ten fully loaded services every day from Nkrumah Circle to Kumasi. Workers/Staff welfare is a top priority.

STC starting September will be current with workers SSNIT payments and conclude arrangements to retire the 2 years arrears owed SSNIT. Similar arrangements have been put in place for staff Provident payments.

Salary reviews are back on the table. The company is ready to start repayments this month to government for the loan for the 50 Scania buses.

Problems remain. Our terminals are in deplorable states. Funds have been set aside to restore basic decency and comfort for passengers in our terminals.

Long term, we are engaged in negotiations with private investors for complete Revamping of our terminal into modern edifices. The company is still saddled with huge debts spanning the last 10 years. Punctuality on scheduled services still slips.

Some staff are still in the old mentality that they are doing the passenger a favor. But with honest and prudent management, enhanced passenger care and service, and goodwill of all Ghanaians, this venerable state company will become profitable and regain the status as the preferred intercity transport service in this country.