Kpong, Odumase drivers reluctantly comply with fare reduction directive

Correspondence from Eastern Region

Commercial transport operators running from two major lorry stations in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal in the Eastern Region have reluctantly complied with the directive by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) to reduce transport fares by 15.3 per cent.

A visit to the Co-operative Transport Society Limited at Kpong revealed that transport fares have been reduced by the required percentage in some instances.

For instance, the fare from Kpong to Ashaiman has dropped from Ghc26 to Gh21, to Koforidua from Ghc 36 to Ghc31, to Madina from Ghc 28 to Ghc24, etc.

It was however discovered that some of the reductions are not up to 15.3%. For instance, Kpong to Kumasi which used to be Ghc96 has been reduced to Ghc 86 instead of Ghc81, to Hohoe reduced from Ghc65 to Ghc60 instead of Ghc55, to Kpando from Ghc60 to Ghc55 instead of Ghc51, etc.

Checks at the Odumase station also revealed that some downward adjustments have been made including Ghc22 to Asesewa and Sekesua from Ghc25, Ghc30 to Akateng from Ghc35, Ghc25 from Ghc28 to Klo-Agogo, etc.

The changes were however not effected at the Odumase station on Monday, December 19, 2022, as directed but took effect from Tuesday morning.

Various transport chairmen who spoke to GhanaWeb however said though they have complied with the announced downward adjustments of fares, they have done so reluctantly in the face of rising costs of spare parts and other products.

The chairman of the Odumase GPRTU Branch One, Mr. John Boadua Kwao said, the reduction in fuel prices alone was not sufficient to reduce fares as other major costs such as spare parts, lubricants, etc. continued to rise.

Mr. Boaduah said, “If the spare parts people will also consider us and reduce their prices, we’ll be happy but as I’m speaking now, the spare parts are still at the same price.”

President of the Kpong Co-Operative Transport Society Limited, Mr. Paul Kanatey shared similar views. He wondered why members of the general public were quick to call for a reduction in transport fares following the dip in the price of fuel when it takes forever to effect price hikes in the face of rising fuel costs.

“It is an order that has come from above and we need to comply since we’re law-abiding citizens but honestly speaking, this act of deduction, the process by which it is going through, some of us are not happy why because the moment this reduction came everybody is crying up and down to reduce fare.

“All other parts have increased, vehicles do not only feed on fuel, but spare parts are also there, tyres, even the spraying of the vehicle and whatnot, all those comprises in the commercial transport business,” argued the president.

Passengers who spoke to GhanaWeb however expressed mixed reactions to the development. Mr. Maxwell Osafo who was aboard a Madina-bound vehicle is happy to be paying Ghc4 less today but prays for further reductions to Ghc20 or less.

He said, “I’m happy (with the reductions). I hope the price will come down again.”

Another, Madam Obuobia on a Koforidua-bound vehicle said though she’s paying five cedis less today, she’s not exactly satisfied with the rate of reduction. She accused the drivers of dishonesty arguing that passengers should be paying far less than they are doing now.

The passenger complained: “I’m happy but not very happy. Previously, we paid far lower. The drivers are not honest, some of them charge high while others charge low so most of the time, we end up fighting so if the prices of petroleum products have been reduced, then fares must be reduced to the barest minimum.”

It was also the concern of some passengers that the rate of decrement did not reflect the 15.3 per cent announced.

Etse, a driver at the station re-echoed the opinions shared by the chairmen of the transport unions, arguing that drivers spent a lot not only on fuel but also on maintenance and other products.

The new fares, which were announced by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) last Friday, took effect Monday, December 19, 2022.

However, checks conducted by GhanaWeb on taxi and trotro drivers who commute within the area were yet to implement the new fare.

The drivers claimed that they had not received the new pricing list from their leadership as of Monday, hence their inability to implement the new fares.

They were however hopeful that the GPRTU would offer them the new price list to guide the implementation of the new fares.