Government has announced a 15 percent increase in transport fares effective on Saturday, 11th July, 2020.
Prior to this, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), which is an umbrella group that unites private commercial vehicle owners and their drivers in Ghana had raised concerns about its survival in the face of this pandemic and had called for several interventions.
In March this year, public transports in Ghana had to reduce the number of passengers they conveyed as a measure to observe social distancing, one of the COVID 19 protocols.
The effect of this directive was not felt as much as fuel prices reduced to about GHS4 per litre.
On Tuesday, July 7, the government in consultation with transport operators agreed to increase transport fares by 15 percent across the country.
However, the transport unions were seeking a 50 percent increment or a directive to revert to carrying full seating capacity. According to the Deputy Transport Minister, Mr. Titus Glover, the government weighing the two options, settled on the 15 % increase. But some commercial drivers in the Cape Coast metropolis insist the government must allow them to take full seating capacity to reduce their losses.
“We will be negatively affected if the fare is increased however we would be happy if we were allowed to take our normal full seating capacities. Even when the fares were not increased people were not patronizing our service how much more now that the fares are going to be increased” a concerned driver quizzed.
Though GPRTU is not happy with the increment, with its leadership noting that fuel prices since the beginning of the year have gone up by 15 percent, the national chairman of GPRTU, Mr. Kwame Kumah however has urged drivers not to charge beyond what has been agreed.
According to him, “Every organization is under the auspices of a ministry so every decision they take affects the entire country. The ministry has issued a communique on the matter so everyone is fully aware of the new development. If any driver decides to take less than the fifteen percent that is fine but taking more before the said date is an offense and any defaulter can be dealt with severely.”
“When there are new prices, the district assembly engages other stakeholders to ensure that the right thing is done. So no one can take the law into his hands,” he said.
Meanwhile, some passengers of commercial vehicles within Cape Coast are also advocating for the government to revert its decision on the increment as it will promote hardship in the country.
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Source: Pouliwe Nyodi/ATLFMNEWS
