The hustle, confusion, and occasional scuffles that mark the search for transportation from city centres during the Christmas season have once again become a major concern in parts of the Ashanti Region.
At several loading stations, long queues quickly descend into chaos as passengers scramble for the limited number of buses and taxis. In some cases, the congestion has sparked verbal clashes and near-fights, with drivers eager to capitalise on the festive surge in travel.
The situation is worsened by a shortage of buses, forcing many commuters to wait for hours or pay significantly inflated fares to reach their destinations.
Some drivers and transport operators are reportedly exploiting the situation by doubling or, in some cases, tripling fares, leaving passengers with little choice but to pay inflated prices or remain stranded.
Rebecca Baffoe, one of several affected commuters, said fares that previously cost four cedis have risen sharply.
“Fares that used to be four cedis have been increased to ten cedis, and between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m., they go up to 15 or even 20 cedis. We are urging the government to provide buses to Kumasi so that commuters can have some relief,” she said.
Another passenger, Charles Dwobeng, said desperation at overcrowded stations has emboldened drivers to charge arbitrary prices.
“Even when you manage to get a car willing to pick you up, the driver does not charge the normal fare but instead doubles the price. Because there are many people at the station and most passengers are desperate, drivers increase fares at their own discretion,” he explained.
Georgina Logan attributed the chaos to the seasonal spike in demand.
“During the festive season, demand for vehicles is very high, and because there are not enough vehicles in the system, transportation becomes extremely difficult,” she said.
Although city authorities have intensified enforcement and arrested some drivers for charging unauthorised fares, commuters say the practice persists, with sanctions failing to deter offenders.
Transport pressure points include the Kronum–Afrancho–Buoho stretch, Tafo–Mamponteng, Tech–Ejisu, Santasi–Ahenama–Ahenama Kokoben, Abrepo–Ohwim–Amanfrom, and the Airport Roundabout–Kenyasi route, where congestion has left many passengers stranded well into the night.
Commuters are appealing to city authorities to deploy more Ayalolo buses to key routes to ease the festive travel burden and curb fare exploitation during the Christmas period.