15% increase in transport fares takes effect today

Effective today, Saturday, 11 July 2020, commuters will be paying 15% more in transport fares following approval by the government for commercial transport operators to hike fares.

A deputy Transport Minister, Nii Kwartei Titus Glover had told Citi News that the decision was taken after a meeting with transport operators on Tuesday, July 7, 2020.

He said the transport operators made an alternative proposal which was for the government to allow them to revert to carrying their usual full seating capacity or for the fares to be adjusted upwards by 30%.

Titus Glover said after considering both proposals, the government decided to approve the increment in transport fares by 15%.

“They came with two applications that the government should allow them to run full seating capacity or we should allow them to increase the transport fares. This afternoon, we held a meeting and we’ve all agreed that with effect from Saturday, 11th of this month, we have increased transport fares by 15% and in going forward, they should continue to hold the safety COVID-19 protocols.”

As part of the protocols to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) public transports have been asked to reduce the number of passengers they take so as to be able to observe social distancing.

Following that, the transport operators argued that there was a reduction in their incomes and that they could no longer bear the hardship they’ve been compelled to go through.

The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) had earlier suggested that the government subsidise the price of fuel at the pumps for commercial drivers in the wake of the difficulties they are grappling with as a result of the social-distancing directive of the President, which has led to a reduction of the number of passengers they carry at any time.

Commercial vehicle drivers in parts of the country have attributed the hike in transport fares to the latest fuel price increases.

The drivers, who are part of a group called the Concerned Drivers Union say even before the fares were approved by their regulator, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), members had already started implementing the fare increase.