General manager of VIP Transport Services, Adakabre Frimpong Manso, has revealed that his outfit has not received any negative reaction to the increment in transport fares implemented by transport operators nationwide.
According to him, the increment in transport fares has become necessary due to the soaring prices of fuel in the country. Mr Manso explained that passengers are well aware of the rising cost in fuel prices and as such understand the need to increase transport fares.
“So far, we have not received any adverse reaction to the increment. You would agree that since June 5, almost eight months ago when we did the last adjustment, a lot of things have gone under the drain. People noticed how generally the variables that we used in assessing our transportation requirements have gone [way] up. So far, we have not received any negative reaction to the adjustments”.
Adakabre Frimpong Manso
Variables influencing transport fares adjustment
Commenting on the price differentials with regards to long commute, Mr Manso indicated that routes ranging from Accra-Kumasi on the executive buses has moved from the initial amount of GHS60 to GHS70. Describing the amount as “stable”, he iterated that his outfit hasn’t witnessed any reaction in fare changes.
“… We’ve done the furthest of the route; that is Bawku from GHS165 up to GHS190 and the Bawku first bus will leave at 12noon today and so far, we’ve done about more than a quarter of bookings. We started the Bawku route with an introductory price. So, now we are coming into the realistic price on the ground…”
Adakabre Frimpong Manso
The General manager of VIP Transport Services expressed that the increment in transport prices isn’t exclusively influenced by high fuel prices. He noted that there are other external influences which impacts the adjustment of transport fares.
“Petroleum prices may not necessarily be the only variable that we look at. There are other variables that have gone that high. If we look at insurance, on a brand-new bus, we are looking at GHS60,000 a year premium. You are looking at cost of taking delivery of a bus; the duty at the port and that one has also gone higher. So, when you look at all the variables and you even look at cost of maintenance… the kind of maintenance you do also really affects the operation”.
Adakabre Frimpong Manso
On his part, the Deputy General Secretary of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Richard Amankwaa, dissociated the GPRTU from other unions determined to charge 30% increment in transport prices. He intimated that the GPRTU is a well-established institution and transport union, as such, it will stick to the agreed fares with the transport ministry.
“Moreover, those who are calling for 30%, we met as a coalition of commercial transport operators… As a matter of fact, we went to the negotiating table with 30%, but after everything, we were able to reach 15%, that was the price agreed by the transport ministry. So, all along, all the stations are working with the 15% increase. So, if any other transport union feels that the 15% is not what they are demanding for, then there’s nothing we can say about that. But so far as GPRTU is concerned, we are charging 15%. As I said, all the regions and the stations are now operating with that 15%”.
Richard Amankwaa
