Takoradi -- THE FIRST batch of the Metro Mass Transit buses shipped into the country by the sitting government to possibly solve and cushion Ghana's transportation problems has become a 'burden' management of the company are grappling with, the Chronicle can say.

The buses, which have gained a household name as 'Kufuor Bus' with it first consignment shipped from Italy, are hardly or no more seen on the transportation business doing their daily activities of boarding passengers and goods but are rather 'cooling off' within the premises of the company as a result of nothing but one peculiar problem.
A clear and typical example is how about twenty of such buses are cooling off at the premises of the Western Regional branch of the company at a time concerns have been raised for the increment of the 'Kufuor buses' to serve other Districts such as Sefwi Wiawso and Enchi in the Region.
Though, the Regional Manager of the company, Mr. Joseph Osei has told the Chronicle in an exclusive interview that the buses in his own words had been parked off as a result of it high fuel consumption rate and were expecting another 45 batch of buses by the end of September to replace the Italian buses in order to serve other Districts in the Region.
But intensive investigations conducted by this paper coupled with information gathered from sources within the company point to the fact that the Manager was economical with the truth that the buses had been parked off as a result of it high fuel consumption rate.
This paper can report without fear that the buses had been cooling off at the premises of the company as a result of nothing but one basic problem- lack of availability of spare parts to see the buses, which are malfunctioning take to the roads to begin its daily activities.
What is more, though the Manager had told this paper that plans were far advanced to sell off the buses (Italian made buses) by his outfit through tendering exercise, this paper can again report that the company as well fears fierce competition from the any transport industry the said malfunctioning Italian buses would be sold off to in it tendering exercise.
This paper's investigation has however been authenticated by the Thursday edition of the Daily Graphic were management of the company were reported to have taken delivery of spare parts from Italy to see the said buses apparently take on to the road.
It would be recalled that the same regional branch of the Metro Mass Transit was hit by ticketing malpractices on the part of it conductors which saw fourteen conductors dismissed from the company last two weeks.
The fourteen were said to be issuing fake tickets to passengers and pocketing the money into their pockets in return.