The Ambitious Passionate Conductor
My name is Phillip Kotochie. I am a bus conductor in the capital city of Ghana,Accra. It a big excitement and and joy for me to come across such a massive and wonderful life changing opportunity like this offered to us by ITF Seafarer's Support and I would like to say (Ayekoo) in my local dialect which translate well done or keep up with the good work that you are doing.
Well, been a bus conductor in Ghana, Accra comes with so much difficulties because my day starts as early as 4am. I will have to go meet up my boss i.e the driver at our usual meeting point for work to commence. Before work starts,I have to clean the vehicle and make sure is neat, dust the seats to get rid of the dirt's to prevent the passengers from getting their dresses dirty and also sweep the vehicle's floor. At 4:30am work starts.
Moreover,I think being a bus conductor is not easy in Accra because over here, we will have to shout and call the passengers to come and onboard the vehicle since there is no well setup system to help the drivers get access to the passengers unless we the conductors assist by shouting to get these passengers onboard the vehicle. When the vehicle is full with passengers, it my task or responsibility to take the transportation fare from the passengers.
Because the transport system is poorly implemented here,we the conductors sometimes get heated arguments with the passengers over transport fares in the vehicle which sometimes leads them into fighting, insulting and raining all sort of curses on us.
During the morning and evening, pressure mounts heavily on us because passengers are either going to work and returning home and are in hurry so they do be demanding for their transport fare balance or change us we call it but during the afternoon,work becomes dull because most people had gone for their various activities.
Finally, one thing about this job is you have to be vigilant and tactful as always because some passengers will try to play smart to enjoy free ride. Been vigilant also means you don't know the kind of people onboard, some may be thieves and pick pockets.
Well, the reason and motive behind me taking part in this ITFPhotoPrize competition and hopeful of becoming the superior winner is to be able to fund my career dream as a seafarer to come to reality.
I have been able to complete my five mandatory courses already but due to lack of finance to support it I have to go into bus conducting to raise some money to continue with a pre-sea course which cost around $350 at the Regional Maritime University (R.M.U) to continue to purse it.
I decided to attain a career as a seafarer since my greatest passion and ambition has always been fishing with my childhood friends.
When hopefully crown as the overall best contestant,the money gain will help me finish the rest of the course. Thank you.