Drivers Exploit Passengers in Accra

Passengers in the Accra Metropolis are at the mercy of private commercial transport operators who are extorting money from commuters.

The commercial transport operators have arrogated to themselves the power to arbitrarily charge transport fares or adopt certain cruel tactics to justify their exploitation of passengers especially during rush hours. Passengers are forced to pay three or four times more the approved transport fares announced by the GPRTU in consultation with government. This happens because the drivers strategically divide the route into short distances and impose unapproved fares on the passengers who have neither the courage to challenge them nor an alternative means of getting to their destinations.

For instance, passengers going from Abeka-Lapaz to Accra Central have to spend 2,000 cedis instead of the approved fare of 700 cedis. Passengers are asked to pay 500 cedis from Abeka-Lapaz to Abeka Junction and then another 500 cedis from that point to Alajo Junction. They are forced to pay another 500 cedis from Alajo Junction to Nkrumah Circle and then again from Circle to Accra Central, all in the same vehicle. Passengers are subjected to the same treatment on their return journey.

Again drivers charge 1,500 cedis instead of 800 cedis per passenger from Nkrumah Circle to Teshie-Nungua during rush hours.

The sad part is that a passenger dares not challenge these drivers over their criminal act. There have been reported incidents of passengers who mastered courage to question the extortion being forced to alight in the middle of the journey. Some passengers have also been verbally or physically assaulted by driver's mates for simply asking for an explanation for the arbitrary increase in transport fares.

While some members of the public have attributed the problem to the greed of the drivers, others blame it on the poor system of transportation in the city. During the morning and evening rush hours from 6 to 10 am and from 4 to 8pm, long queues form at lorry stations and also along the main roads in the metropolis. In their desperation to either get to work or go home on time, passengers are left at the mercy of any vehicle that comes to pick passengers. Therefore, most of the drivers take undue advantage of the passengers' situation to siphon money from the 'HIPC' pockets of the passengers.

The drivers hide behind all kinds of excuses to justify their actions. Speaking to Metro Mail yesterday, some of the drivers explained that their vehicle owners have fixed high daily sales which are difficult to meet. They said mini buses are required to make daily sales of at least 100,000 cedis and to fill the fuel tank in addition.

They also accused the police of extortion and imposition of arbitrary fines which have to be made up for by asking passengers to pay extra. They claim that cost of items including insurance premium, road worthy certificates, driver's licence, income tax and spare parts have been increased and the driver must find money to pay for all that. They said the anticipation of an increase in the price of fuel is also a contributory factor in their arbitrary increase in transport fares in order to stay in business and survive.

Passengers have appealed to the police and GPRTU officials to arrest and discipline any driver found to be cheating passengers by charging illegal fares.

In a related development all commercial mini buses have been directed to pick only the standard number of passengers allowed onboard. For example an urban bus would be required to pick not more than fourteen passengers at a time instead of eighteen. The police have been notified to arrest drivers who flout this directive and prosecute them in court.

Reports reaching Metro Mail indicate that most commercial drivers in the city are complying with the new directive. It seems however that drivers have found one more excuse to arbitrarily increase fares for more profit.