The management of State Transport Company (STC) has indicated that the company would not be able to observe the social distancing protocol issued by the government on the basis that the firm will run at a loss.
According to the company, a reduction in the number of passengers will have serious financial repercussions due to the nature of their business, adding that observing the social distancing by cutting the number of passengers will virtually collapse the business.
Given this, the Deputy Managing Director in Charge of Operations at STC, Kwabena Sintim Aboagye told reporters that the company is taking the best option possible to stay in business as they have ensured other safety precautions such as the washing of hands and compulsory wearing of nose masks by all passengers before boarding.
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“We looked at the option of social distancing but then we realised that with the configuration of the seat of the buses, for instance, a bus capacity of 44 passengers, if we had to ensure social distance it means we cannot even take an average of 20 passengers on a bus which will then be at a loss to the company,” he justified.
He further added that “at any given moment, for us to break even, there should be at least 60 percent occupancy, that’s about 30 passengers on the bus, anything below, the company will be running at a loss.”
Meanwhile, passengers of STC have expressed concerns over the company’s failure to adhere to the social distancing protocol which they claim is putting their lives at risk of contracting the deadly virus.
Some passengers, who travelled from Takoradi to Accra yesterday, said several attempts to get the authorities to reduce the number of passengers fell on deaf ears.