Committee monitors new transport fares in Accra

The National New Transport Fares Monitoring and Enforcement Committee on Tuesday toured some offices of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU) in Accra to monitor and update officials on the new transport fares.

The Committee comprising members of the GPRTU, the Police and the Media, were at the Ho and Tema Lorry Stations and provided copies of the new fare list to executives of the stations to comply.

Alhaji Aliyu Baba, Head of the Committee noted that the Committee had information that some drivers had taken undue advantage to increase lorry fares arbitrarily following the upward adjustment of prices of petroleum product by National Petroleum Authority, last Sunday.

He said the public outcry may partially be due to unavailability of the fare list at the various lorry stations.

He therefore appealed to the executives of lorry stations to provide drivers with copies of the new fares list and also place them on their notice boards for passengers to glimpse and make informed choices.

Alhaji Baba appealed to the executives to continue to educate the drivers about the dangers of ignoring road traffic regulations, which most often endanger the lives of passengers, the driver and other road users.

He said the fatalities on our roads are alarming, hence the need for transport owners, drivers, passengers and government to have a shared responsibility.

“We must work together as a team to check reckless drivers.

“It is the duty of GPRTU and other transport operators to organise regular meetings with drivers to educate them on traffic regulations to help reduce road accidents and deaths,” Alhaji Baba said.

Mr Francis Kugblenu and Mr Timothy Nortey, secretaries at the Ho and Tema Stations of the GPRTU said, the published fare list is being complied with by the two stations.

Drivers are now charging GH¢9.50 from Accra to Ho as against the old fare of GH¢8.27 while Accra to Kpando had increased from GH¢9.00 to GH¢10.

Fare for Somanya, which was GH¢3.50 is now GH¢4.00.