Commercial drivers increase fares by 10%

Road Transport Operators have announced a 10% increase in transport fares across all categories of services, effective today [Monday].

The increase in fares comes after an agreement between the operators and other stakeholders in the transport sector including the government.

They also indicated that import taxes and increase in prices of spare parts among others influenced the increase in fares.

The Road Transportation Operators stated that the initial increment was 15 percent, but upon consultation with the government, they settled on 10 percent.

The National Chairman of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) Kwame Kuma, in a Citi News interview, urged public transport drivers to abide by the approved fares.

“It is not only the fuel. Prices of the cars, spare parts, engine oil and all that. We check all these before we come out with increment. Even at the ports, the amounts you pay. We even consider the bank’s lending rate. I’m pleading with the trotro drivers and passengers; everyone should exercise patience. We have prepared all notice and sent to the local level. If drivers don’t want to charge the new fare, it is fine, but they must not go above the 10%.”



Meanwhile, some members of the public have expressed their displeasure over the increment. They believe the increment will put them in a dire economic challenge.

The last time transport fares were increased was in April 2017. The fares went up by 15%, and it came at the time when the government has deduced the Special petroleum tax rate from 17.5 percent to 15 percent; and also abolished duty on the importation of spare parts.