Previously in Ghana, certain jobs were seen to be for a particular gender. A job description as being a bus conductor popularly known as “Trotro mate” was known for males. The narrative, however, is changing.
It is becoming overwhelming and interesting to see females or women emerging as bus conductors in recent times in Ghana.
As a male dominated sector in the transport industry, being a “Trotro mate” demands a lot of energy and strength.
But for Benedicta, a female “Trotro mate”, she believes what men can do, women can do even better.
In an interview, Benedicta says she loves her new job as a bus conductor because it pays well and anticipates to take the steering wheel someday.
“People get perplexed when they see me and I understand them because it is not very common to see women doing this job. I was working as a janitor in a company but I quit to do this job because it pays better. I hope to be a driver soon,” she said.
Some random passengers shared their opinions on seeing a female as a bus conductor.
According to Edmund Nii Armah, females involving themselves in jobs such as being bus conductor is a step in the right direction.
He believes this new dimension will put a stop to gender-based bias in some fields of work or employment opportunities.
He added that the feedback from his colleagues, having had an encounter with female bus conductors was a positive one.
However, Edmund who believes the rate of unemployment in the country could be a contributing factor which is changing the narrative.
“I believe the high rate of unemployment is pushing some of these ladies to pick up jobs as such which they might not want to do on a normal day. But I see it as a great initiative worth emulating,” he said.
For a female passenger, Issah Khadijah, she believes that female conductors bring a new perspective to the job because for her, they speak to passengers in a nicer manner.
”Most of the males trotro mates are rude. But for their female counterparts, they make time for we the passengers and speak to us politely,” she said.
Some passengers believe that female bus conductors are contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal number 10 which promotes Gender Equity and Equality.