The Deputy Minister for Transport and Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, has been honoured with the Best Performing Deputy Minister Award at the 6th Ministers of State Excellence Honours held in Accra.
The award was met with loud applause from participants at the event on Saturday, June 6, 2026, as supporters chanted “Mbaa Noaa” while the deputy minister mounted the podium to receive the accolade.
Speaking after receiving the award, Madam Affo-Toffey expressed gratitude for the recognition.
“I am deeply humbled to receive the Best Deputy Minister Award at the Ministers of State Excellence Honours,” she said.
“This recognition is not a personal achievement alone; it is a testament to the collective efforts of the dedicated team at the Ministry of Transport, the confidence reposed in me by H.E. the President, and the support, prayers, and trust of Ghanaians, especially my beloved constituents.”
She noted that the award would inspire her to continue contributing to the transformation of Ghana’s transport sector.
“As we continue to advance Ghana’s transport sector through impactful policies, infrastructure development, and improved service delivery, this honour serves as both an encouragement and a reminder that our work is far from complete,” she stated.
“I dedicate this award to the people of Ghana and give all glory to Almighty God, whose grace continues to guide this journey.”
Madam Affo-Toffey added that “the best is yet to come.”
Among her notable achievements at the Ministry of Transport are efforts to retool the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMTL) and improve public transportation services across the country.
Visit To Egypt
As part of efforts to strengthen MMTL’s operations, Madam Affo-Toffey visited Egypt to facilitate arrangements for the procurement of 300 buses aimed at easing transportation challenges, particularly during peak hours in major cities.
The 29-seater buses form part of a broader plan to increase transport capacity, reduce congestion, and improve reliability within the public transport system.
The initiative comes at a time when commuters have faced long queues, rising transport fares, and frequent breakdowns of ageing buses.
So far, 100 of the buses have arrived in Ghana and have been handed over to MMTL for deployment, while the remaining 200 are expected to arrive from Egypt to further augment the fleet.
Visit To China
Madam Affo-Toffey also led a high-level delegation to China as part of the government’s efforts to modernise Ghana’s public transport system and expand the national fleet with advanced and environmentally friendly vehicles.
The delegation, which included officials from the Ministry of Transport and MMTL, visited the industrial city of Shiyan.
During the visit, the team toured Xiangyang Tenglong Automobile Co., Ltd., a leading automobile manufacturing company known for producing new-energy buses and intelligent transport systems.
The visit formed part of a broader strategy to improve public transportation through international partnerships and technical cooperation.
The delegation explored opportunities for acquiring modern buses and establishing partnerships aimed at improving efficiency, safety, and reliability within Ghana’s transport sector.
The team also inspected Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) smart electric buses in Suzhou, designed for high-capacity urban transportation with reduced carbon emissions.
The government is assessing the suitability of these vehicles for Ghana’s road infrastructure and operational environment as part of efforts to improve urban mobility and ease pressure on existing transport systems.
Ghana’s public transport sector, particularly MMTL, has faced challenges in recent years, including an ageing fleet, operational inefficiencies, and increasing demand in major urban centres.
Expanding The China Visit To Tourism And Cultural Cooperation
Beyond transportation-related engagements, Madam Affo-Toffey expanded the scope of the China visit to include tourism, arts, culture, education, and technology cooperation.
She led the Ghanaian delegation to the International Culture Center and the Hand-In-Hand International Culture Exchange Fund to explore partnership opportunities and seek support from the Chinese government in various development areas.
Established in 2011, the centre specialises in international cultural exchange and project cooperation. It has developed extensive partnerships globally and facilitated collaborations in culture, education, science, and technology across numerous countries.
Officials of the centre disclosed that Hand-In-Hand has provided services to more than 5,000 senior officials from over 150 countries through programmes linked to the International Defence College of China’s National Defence University. The organisation has also partnered with institutions such as Tsinghua University and supported the establishment of international cooperation platforms in Beijing.
The centre has undertaken research and investment promotion initiatives in collaboration with key Chinese institutions, including China’s National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Science and Technology.
Officials further revealed that the organisation has developed an investment database covering more than 4,000 enterprises to support industrial investment promotion and facilitate strategic international partnerships.
