Transport operators reduce fares by 5% but drivers say no
The General Secretary of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Mr Stephen K. Okudzeto, has appealed to Ghanaians and commuters to bear with the union as it does everything possible to ensure the full implementation of the new transport fares on Monday.
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According to him, the GPRTU is doing its best to ensure that the new fares are communicated properly to the drivers and transport owners before Monday.
“I am only appealing to the general public to bear with us until Monday as we are doing everything within our power to ensure the full implementation of the new transport fares,” he said in an interview with an Accra radio station, Joy Fm.
His call follows the reluctance of some drivers to reduce transport fares despite the reduction in transport fares by five per cent by the GPRTU and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC).
According the drivers, the reduction of fuel prices was insignificant, so that could not be translated into a reduction in transport fares. Others also argue that the prices of spare parts had been constantly going up therefore any reduction in transport fares would affect their business.
However, some commuters and Ghanaians insist that there was the need for the drivers to comply with the directive by the GRTCC.
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Mrs Joyce Bawa Mogtari, has also added her voice to the call on transport operators to reduce the lorry fares.
Announcement of new fares
Meanwhile, the recent reduction of fuel prices by 10 per cent has caused road transport operators to announce new transport fares which took effect from yesterday, January 9, 2015.
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The new fares cover fares of intra-city (trotro), inter-city (long distance) and taxi.
The downward reviews range from 5 pesewas to 20 pesewas in the case of trotro and taxis while those of the inter-city are between 5 to 50 pesewas.
A statement issued in Accra and jointly signed by the General Secretaries of the GPRTU and the GRTCC, Mr Stephen K. Okudzeto and Alhaji Aliyu Baba, respectively, requested members to comply with the directive.
“Members are kindly requested to comply with the new fares and post the fare list at their loading terminals so as to avoid any confrontation with the travelling public.
“We further request members, commuters and the general public to kindly co-operate for the successful implementation of these changes,” the statement added.