The government of Ghana has today, Tuesday, July 7, 2020, approved a proposal from transport operators, seeking an increase in transport fares by 15 per cent.
Per the information provided, the increment is expected to take effect from Saturday, July 11, 2020.
Deputy Transport Minister, Nii Kwartei Titus Glover the media that the decision was taken after a meeting with transport operators today, Tuesday, July 7, 2020.
According to him, 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 transport fares to be adjusted upwards.
Adding that after considering both proposals, the government decided to approve the increment in transport fares.
“The transport unions made an application to the Ministry that because of the COVID-19 and government has asked them not to load full capacity, they are losing a lot of money because of the running cost of their operations…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 [July], we have increased transport fares by 15% and in going forward, they should continue to hold the safety COVID-19 protocols,” he added.
Titus Glover said the transport Unions have been tasked to also print and post the new fares in their vehicles and at their respective stations to inform passengers to avoid disagreements between drivers and passengers.
Transport unions agitate
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) earlier this month [July] said it was recording huge losses over the directive to transport fewer passengers as part of efforts to maintain social distancing on their buses.
In effect, the Vice Chairman of GPRTU, Robert Sarbah said they were seeking either an increase in transport fares or a return to the normal seating capacity of vehicles before the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.
The last increase in public transport fares was in September 2019, recording a 10 per cent increment.
Commercial drivers in March 2020 were directed to reduce the number of passengers they take to ensure the adherence of social distancing protocols and also help reduce the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
Earlier this week, (Monday, July 6, 2020) a group calling itself the Concerned Drivers Union had threatened to increase its transport fares by 30 per cent following the increases in fuel prices.
