Urban Transport Planning Analyst, Dr Bernard Abeiku Arthur, has stressed that Ghana’s long-standing urban transport challenges cannot be sustainably addressed without a clearly defined vision of the kind of cities the country aims to build.

According to him, transport planning should not be approached in isolation but must be anchored in a broader understanding of urban identity, purpose and long-term development goals.

His remarks come at a time when public concern over urban transport is intensifying, as commuters in major cities such as Accra and Kumasi continue to face severe congestion, lengthy queues and rising transport costs.

Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, January 17, 2026, Dr Abeiku argued that effective city planning must begin with a clear and deliberate vision.

“I want to state clearly that we need to know the kind of city we want to develop. Once we have a fair idea of the kind of city we want to develop, all other things—including governance, health infrastructure, education, and others—fit into that idea,” he said.

He noted that successful cities around the world are shaped by well-defined economic and functional identities, which then inform their infrastructure and transport systems.

“When we talk about London, we all know it is a major international market city. When we talk about New York, we know it is where prices of goods around the world are determined. In Africa, if you take South Africa, Johannesburg has a clear function it performs,” he explained.

Dr Abeiku, however, questioned the absence of a clearly articulated role for Accra beyond its designation as Ghana’s capital.

“But when you come to Accra, what is the function of Accra, except to say that it is the gateway to Africa?” he asked.

He argued that the lack of a clear urban vision has resulted in uncoordinated development and reactive transport policies that have failed to keep pace with rapid population growth and urban expansion.

“So, we must be very clear. There must be a clear vision, and that vision will tell us the transport vision we are looking at,” he emphasised.

Dr Abeiku also urged policymakers to reframe how transport challenges are understood, stressing the need to distinguish between access and mobility.

“We should ask ourselves: is it access that we are looking at, meaning roads, or is it the movement of people that we want to address?” he queried.

He explained that if accessibility is the primary goal, transport planning must extend beyond roads for vehicles to include walkability, public spaces and well-organised urban layouts.

“If it is accessibility, then it includes walking, open spaces for sitting, and clear areas. We need to be very clear on this,” he added.