There are clear signs that drivers who refuse to charge the approved transport fares announced jointly by the government and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) will not have things easy.
The warning sign was given last Friday at the Osu Circuit Court where two drivers were convicted and fined for causing inconvenience to passengers and charging unapproved fares. Benjamin Otto, driver of Urvan bus GR 1227 S, was fined 1m cedis or four months imprisonment in default while Noah Atakli with Urvan bus GR 3960, was to pay 450, 000 cedis. He will go to jail for four months in default.
The court was presided over by Justice G.N.A. Donkor. Briefing the ?Times? in Accra on Friday, Superintendent Victor Tandoh, Commander of the Police Motor Traffic Unit (MTU), said Otto, who plies between Nima and Accra decided to charge 1500 cedis instead of the approved fare of 1000 cedis.
But the passengers refused to pay, thus resulting in a heated argument between them. Supt Tandoh said when the driver got to the Sadisco Traffic light; he turned around and went back to New Town where the passengers were compelled to alight.
Angered by the driver?s, some of the passengers lodged a complaint with the police and Otto was arrested and charged for causing inconvenience to passengers. On Noah Atakli, Supt Tandoh said that he picked a passenger from Circle to UTC and charged 1500 cedis instead of the 700 cedis approved.
The passenger reported the incident to the police and the vehicle was intercepted, the driver was arrested and arraigned before the court. He was charged for charging illegal fares.
