Transport Minister unaware of lorry fare increment - Titus Glover

The Transport Ministry says it is yet to arrange for a meeting with various driver unions over their threat to increase lorry fares, XYZ News has learnt.

A deputy minister for the sector, Titus Glover, in an interview on News wire on Radio XYZ said the ministry was unaware of the development.

“Before that [increment] is done, there should be a consultative meeting with the stakeholders. the Ministry of Transport and the Transport unions will meet and look at all these on the jusification of increasing fares.

As I speak , nothing has been done, so they cannot stand up unilaterally that they are going to increase fares. It is a matter to sit down with the driver unions and see the way forward,” Mr. Glover explained.

His comments follow the announcement of transport fare increment, Tuesday, by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) in the coming days, although fuel prices have not being increased.

Speaking to XYZ News the National Vice Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, Robert Sabah says the Union is still in talks with the Ministry of Transport over the increment.

“The public is only aware of fuel prices when it is increases, but we have issues like insurance charges, vehicle taxes, the maintenance the spare parts, when these things also go up there is the likelihood we might raise fares….Somewhere around November I personally spoke to the Chief director that there is the need that we all sit to analyze the increments in fuel and other components. The meeting has not yet been scheduled but there is an attempt,” he noted.

Reports say the Ghana Private Roads and Transport Union (GPRTU) of Trades Union Congress (TUC) is looking at an average of 15 percent increase across board, but that is yet to be approved by the sector Ministry in line with an arrangement with the Ghana Road transport Coordinating Council.