What's The Sense In Rebranding Buses? - Kwesi Pratt Quizzes

Metro Mass Transport Bus (rebranding)

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has questioned the wisdom in rebranding 116 buses, purporting that it was a "needless" and "senseless" act by the current administration.

To him, there are other pressing needs of Ghanaians that begs the attention of Government which the money could have been used for catered for in order to benefit Ghanainas directly.


Earlier this week, news went viral that an amount of GHC3, 649, 004 Ghana oil funds have been spent on re-branding Metro Mass Rapid Transit buses.

The buses, re-branded with pictures of the three former Presidents and the current President, John Mahama, is for intra-city purposes.

Per documents sent to Parliament detailing some government expenditure, it costs almost GH₵31,000 to brand each of the 116 buses.

Interestingly, a Cabinet Minister is reported to have justified the GH₵3.6million spent on re-branding the 116 public buses saying artistic work is generally expensive.

Coming at a time when a power deal between government and the African and Middle East Resources Investemnt (AMERI Group) is under public scrutiny for suspected corruption and overbloated expenditure, this issue of branding intra-city buses has generated quite a huge public furore. 

Many, especially the Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Parliament and civil society have accused government of wanton dissipating of state funds.

Speaking to sit-in host Nana Yaw Kesse of Peace FM'sKokrokoo, Kwesi Pratt noted that whiles it might be "reasonable" for government to make buses appear colourful, it is however needless to rebrand already sprayed buses when the money could be used to enhance development in the country.

He said the money could have been used to construct boreholes in deprived areas than "putting the images of heads of former Presidents" on the buses.

In his earnest view, it was an unwise decision to spend scarce state resources in such manner.

“Which is important? For us to construct boreholes or rebrand a bus with images of former Heads of State?…What’s the sense in this rebranding? If I have my own money worth 3.6 million, I won’t use it to rebrand a bus which is already painted. I won’t use 3.6 million to rebrand that bus.”

He therefore advised the government to set her priorities right.

Source: Adu Gyamfi Ameyaw/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana