Akyem Aperade (E/R), April 06 GNA - Akyem Aperade in the Birim South District of the Eastern Region was on Friday set agog when Metro Mass Transport Services extended its operations to the area. When a bus of the company arrived in the town at about 0730 hours, both the young and the elderly lined up the streets, cheered and sang praises of the government for coming to their aid.

They later boarded the bus for a free ride through the streets of the town amidst singing.

At a meeting with staff of the company at the chief's palace, Nana Twumwaa II, queen mother of Akyem Aperade said with the arrival of the bus, transportation difficulties facing them would be a thing of the past.

She expressed her gratitude to the government on its tireless efforts to make rural areas worthy places to live. Nana Twumwaa commended Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong and Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, MPs' for Akyem Swedru and Akyem Oda respectively for the role they played in making it possible for the company to extend its operations to the town.

Mr Frank Kwame Busumtwi, the District Chief Executive urged the people to insist on collecting tickets when boarding the bus. He reminded them that the continuous operations of the bus service in the area would depend to a large extent on good patronage. He advised them to resist the temptation to connive with any official to indulge in ticket racketeering to the detriment of the company.

Mr Busumtwi advised staff of the company to feel free to report to the appropriate authorities the activities of any commercial driver who would attempt to intimidate them to withdraw their services in the area. Mr Johnson Obed Asamoah, the Akyem Oda Area Manager of the company said basic school children in school uniforms would get free ride to their destinations.

He, however, said the services would not be extended to schoolchildren at the weekends or after 1800 hours on weekdays.