The Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) project has begun with reconnaissance visits to key transport points in Sunyani and Kumasi to inform its upcoming research on popular-to-popular mobility systems in Ghana and Rwanda.

The project, titled Popular-to-Popular Transport Integration in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case of Rwanda and Ghana, seeks to bridge knowledge gaps in informal and semi-formal transport systems and promote inclusive, community-responsive mobility policies.

Project Lead and Director of Business Development and Sustainability at TCC-CIMET, Professor Alexander Marful, said the field visits would help the research team understand local transport behaviours and refine data collection.

“We came to observe how mobility works in these specific communities and how they differ from what we have studied elsewhere. The insights will guide our data strategy and shape our approach to developing sustainable mobility solutions that reflect local realities,” he said.

The team visited Danyame and Abetifi Zongo in Sunyani, and Ayigya and Ahomaso in Kumasi, where they held discussions with transport union leaders and commuters. Stakeholders expressed strong support for the initiative and highlighted ongoing operational challenges in daily transport systems.

The project is being implemented under the KNUST-KAF-MAK Popular Transport Research Network, with funding from the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF).