Ben's Bus

“I forgot to tell you the name,” he says to me, “it’s going to be called Time.” In a country where punctuality is rare and most forms of transportation simply leave when they’re full, Ben has a vision for something different. Time is the name of his bus and it does just that; leave on time.

I first met Ben when he wandered into my office on business for the local government where he works as a development planner. Ben landed his job by starting as a volunteer completing the year of National Service all post secondary graduates in Ghana are required to undergo. When the former planner left for another job, Ben’s motivation and willingness to work hard made him a clear choice to fill the position.


Ben dreams of starting his own bus company called Time.

Since our first meeting Ben and I have got together several times, mostly to talk about his dream: Time. To start, Time is a single coach style bus that holds roughly fifty people. It makes a single one-way trip between the Ghanaian cities of Tamale and Wa (a distance of about 200 km) each day. “There are always people lined up to go,” he tells me, “it’ll be easy to fill the bus.” Currently the route is served by government buses, but service is often limited and passengers can only speculate on when the bus will depart and arrive.


Government transit (and most transit for that matter) is often erratic and unreliable.

The cost of the bus Ben wants to buy is about 40,000 Canadian dollars. Based on what existing travelers pay, he expects to be able to charge seven dollars for a one-way trip. Even after paying for fuel, maintenance and the driver’s salary, Ben estimates he would be able to recover the initial capital cost within a year.

So what’s stopping him? “Banks in Ghana won’t even consider start up businesses,” he explains, “if I could get the [startup] money I would start the business tomorrow.” Ben, like the vast majority of Ghanaians, has no way of obtaining credit. Although his business requires a relatively large capital input, even the country’s smaller scale would-be-entrepreneurs are handicapped because they cannot obtain loans. Those who can obtain loans frequently pay annual interest rates of twenty-five percent or more.

Although the government and NGOs provide a limited number of agricultural loans to organized farmer groups, I’ve met countless farmers who explained that they did not use chemical fertilizers on their crops because they could not afford the initial cost. Although they knew they would be able to recover the investment at harvest time, the farmers had no way of obtaining the initial capital. Similarly, the women’s rice processing group that I work with would be able to produce high quality rice and sell it at more than double the price they currently receive if only they could afford the right equipment. It’s a story that gets repeated over and over again.

I asked Ben why he wants to start his business. He admits it partially has to do with his own financial security, but explained that it’s about more than just money. “My business will create employment,” he tells me. “I’m going to be helping to employ drivers, ticket sellers, mechanics and accountants.” Perhaps even more importantly, he’s going to be providing a much needed service: reliable transportation. This service has spin off benefits for the rest of the economy. Instead of waiting around for a bus that might never show, people will have extra time to devote to work. At the same time, others will find it easier to do business in Wa knowing that they will be able to obtain timely transportation to and from Tamale (a major business centre).

Before coming to Ghana, the idea of starting or investing in a business had never crossed my mind. Business, I thought, was for those who only care about making money. But more and more I’m realizing how much business is linked to development. For now, aid is still critical. It provides the engine for much of the country’s social development, including health and education. But business means employment and government tax revenue, both of which are essential if Ghana ever hopes to escape it’s reliance on foreign aid (and all that it entails).

My perception of how Canadians can help the developing world has shifted. Giving money to reputable NGOs and lobbying the Canadian government to end unfair agricultural subsidies and trade barriers is important, but I think doing business in Ghana is equally as important. Those of a more philanthropic inclination can lend their money to micro-enterprise projects through Kiva.org or other organizations, which is a positive start as the growth of small business is most likely to benefit the poor. At the same time, I think there are opportunities for real profit as well. Many are quick to point fingers at those who make money in the developing world, but making money almost always means employing people and to me that's positive. Everyone is familiar with stories of one multinational corporation or another committing unspeakable acts in the developing world, but I think these are the exceptions, not the rules. The Integrated Tamale Fruit Company is an excellent example of how business can mean both profit and development.

The developed world is full of accessible capital, the developing world is full of opportunities and ambitious entrepreneurs like Ben; somehow we need to bridge the gap.