Ghana MPs join Accra's commuters

Public tranport in Accra is mainly made up of minibuses, known as "tro tro"

The daily grind of commuting in Ghana's capital, Accra, has been livened up for a day by the unusual sight of ministers and MPs on public transport.

The politicians have rested their chauffeur-driven cars for what they have dubbed Public Transport Day.

Deputy transport minister Dzifa Peace Aku Attivor told the BBC she wanted to experience for herself the long queues, rickety vehicles and grumpy drivers.

She hopes it will lead to better decisions on transport issues.

"We want to go to the grassroots to identify with the people and identify the problems they go through before they get to work," she said.

'Gimmick'

She told the BBC's Network Africa programme the ministry is already setting up an academy to retrain drivers of public buses in an attempt to reduce traffic accidents.

And she said she also hoped to get new buses on the roads and introduce bus lanes.

"We think it's about time that the system was changed so we can have a dedicated bus lane so people can get to work on time," she said.

But the BBC's David Amanor, in Accra, says the city's residents are treating Public Transport Day as a gimmick.

Few people believe the transport system will improve as a result of the initiative, he says.