Ghanaian bus transport company Metro Mass Transport Limited (MMTL) plans to introduce an electronic ticketing system before the end of the year to cut back on incidents of theft by drivers.

The managing director of the company, Noble Appiah, said the initiative is also planned to help the privately-owned firm turn its fortunes around. The company is currently operating at a loss.

“This is part of the efforts to introduce Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the operations of the MMTL,” Appiah added.

Appiah added that before the electronic ticketing could be introduced, his outfit plans to embark on an educational campaign to educate the both the staff of the MMTL and the general public.

“To this end, we intend to also play advertisements on the media so as to drum home the message to the length and breadth of the country," Appiah said.

MMTL was established in October 2003, with the government of Ghana having a 45% stake and private investors holding the rest.

The company was set out to provide reliable and affordable means of transport for commuters within villages, towns, and cities as well as provide intercity movement.

It arose from an idea from former President John Kufuor who spoke of the need of introducing a mass transit bus system in the cities of Ghana at his inauguration speech in 2001.

Kufuor directed the re-introduction of public mass transport in the metropolitan and municipal areas to ensure the safe, affordable, efficient and reliable transport of commuters.