On Wednesday, several media houses reported that a trained Kayayo (female head porter), Mary Lalako Agboli, who was part of the government’s Kayayei Empowerment Programme, drove Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in one of the newly commissioned electric buses.
She was part of the 22 women who graduated on November 27 as part of the incumbent government’s skills development programme designed to train Kayayei in driving, aiming to enhance their employability and improve their livelihoods.
The graduation ceremony yesterday coincided with the commissioning of the electric buses by Dr. Bawumia, who is the flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
But recent videos surfacing on social media indicate that Mary, a benefactor of the Kayayei Empowerment, was an Ayalolo bus driver during the tenure of Mahama’s administration and has been driving since 2019 on the Accra-Adenta route. The Ayalolo bus system was introduced by the erstwhile NDC government in 2016.
Engaging Citinews now Channel One on her experience as a driver and its challenges years ago, Mary indicated that many underestimated her and were jittery anytime they were being driven by her. According to her, she received commendation from a few after successfully completing her trip.
Mary Lalako Agboli the lady which Dr Bawumia described as a benefactor of the Kayayei Empowerment is an employee of the Ayalolo bus who has been driving since 2019 on the Accra-Adenta route.. Bawumia and the Npp are scammers avoid them by#VoteWiselyVoteJohnMahama pic.twitter.com/r7s3eCf7IN
— Rasta4NDC🇬🇭 JM 4 President (@Rasta4NDC) November 28, 2024
Some X users have criticised the government for manipulating information to deceive Ghanaians in order to garner more votes. They noted that Mary had never been a head porter after graduating from of West Africa Senior High School (WASS). An X user wrote, “What a wonderful story created by NPP”.
Speaking at yesterday’s event, the Vice President emphasized the government’s dual commitment to sustainable transportation and human capital development.
He described the electric buses as a step toward modernizing the country’s transport sector while addressing environmental concerns by reducing Ghana’s carbon footprint.
The footage has drawn public attention to the programme’s potential impact on empowering participants and promoting sustainable technology.
The government has indicated plans to extend similar programmes to other groups, aiming to foster inclusivity and socio-economic development through skills training and innovation.
