Stranded passengers slam STC over poor service on Accra–Bolgatanga route

Passengers travelling with the State Transport Company (STC) on the Accra–Bolgatanga route have voiced strong dissatisfaction after being left stranded for several hours along the Amasaman–Nsawam road due to a mechanical breakdown.

According to accounts from the affected travellers, they were instructed to report to the Accra STC terminal by 2:00 p.m. for a 3:00 p.m. departure on Wednesday, June 22, 2025. However, the bus failed to depart on schedule, as it was undergoing maintenance, forcing passengers to wait for several hours before finally setting off at 8:00 p.m.

“We were supposed to report at 2 p.m. and depart at 3, but around 6 p.m. they started doing maintenance on the bus. The manager promised it would be ready in an hour, but we eventually left at 8 p.m.,” a passenger recounted.

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The trip took another frustrating turn around 10:00 p.m. when the bus reportedly broke down at Media, a town along the Amasaman–Nsawam stretch.

“We’ve not even gotten to Nsawam or Nkorkor, and the car is broken down again,” another passenger lamented.

Passengers said they promptly contacted the STC station to report the issue and were told that a replacement vehicle would be sent to rescue them. However, after waiting more than two hours, no assistance had arrived, leaving them stranded by the roadside late into the night.

The incident sparked outrage among the passengers, who accused STC of disrespecting and neglecting travellers from northern Ghana, particularly those on the Bolgatanga route.

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“They don’t even respect the Bolga people,” one frustrated passenger said.

Others alleged that older, less reliable buses are routinely assigned to long-distance northern trips, while newer and more comfortable ones are reserved for southern routes.

“This is not the first time this has happened. Anytime we are travelling to Bolga, we are given old buses that easily break down. Meanwhile, Bolga is one of the longest trips in the country. It’s as if STC doesn’t value us,” another passenger complained.

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Several passengers also questioned STC’s decision to assign a 2016 model bus for such a long and demanding journey.

“They’ve given us a 2016 bus, can you imagine? A 2016 bus to Bolga,” a passenger fumed.

The stranded travellers are urging the Minister for Transport and relevant authorities to investigate the situation and compel STC to provide fair, reliable, and safe services for passengers travelling to the northern regions.

By Lucy Mawufemor Kpeglo