Vice President of the Ghana Online Drivers Union, James Neelo Gamor, has revealed that ride-hailing app owners have refused to increase fares of riders just to entice them to patronise the app services.

Mr Gamor indicated that the Union’s strike action slated for Tuesday, April 5, 2022, is intended to register its displeasure over the reluctance of app owners to review fare prices. He noted that the strike action will take place in regional unions in the Greater Accra, Eastern Region, Western Region and Central Region.

“We are embarking on this strike because all our engagement with the app owners to get fares increased became in vain. We have no alternative than to embark on this strike. We went to Bolt especially for them to increase the fare. We are all aware of the fuel increment in the country… But our app owners refused to increase fares just to entice the riders. We are also looking at the side where the drivers have to render good service to the riders… So, we are also trying, doing all these things to render good service to our riders”.
James Neelo Gamor

Following this, Mr Gamor lamented the hardship online drivers are subjected, which he noted is further compounded by the cheap charges riders pay for their trips.

“Meanwhile, a driver is driving more than two kilometres to pick up a rider and send that person 3 kilometres and he or she will be charged GHC7; meaning that, that driver has run at a loss”..
James Neelo Gamor

To ameliorate the situation, the Vice President for the Ghana Online Drivers Union called on the government, riders and app owners alike to find solutions to “rectify all these things so that the drivers can also go home with something”.

“It’s never our wish to make our riders stranded but we have no alternative than to embark on this strike. So, we are just pleading with all our customers to side with us… We are all embarking on the strike tomorrow. We are not working tomorrow and the next day. [Whether] you work or not, you’re going home with nothing, so it’s better you don’t work”.
James Neelo Gamor

Commenting on the review in commission rate his members would like to reflect on the app, Mr Gamor revealed that considering Uber’s reduction of its commission charges “from 25% to 20%”, he insisted that a commission fee of “10% or 15% maximum” for other apps will be beneficial to them.

“Bolt is charging 25%. Meaning if you pick someone and the app charges GHC10, Bolt is taking GHC2.50 pesewas out of that. Per statistics, we are spending more than 60% on fuel on every trip. Meaning that GHC6 is going to the fuel [and] GHC2.50 pesewas is going to the app owner; so you the driver you are left with nothing”.
James Neelo Gamor

Drivers of ride-hailing services serve notice of strike action

Prior to this, President of the Ghana Online Drivers Union, Francis Kweku Tenge, intimated that drivers of ride-hailing services including Uber, Bolt and Yango have served notice to embark on a two-day national strike from Tuesday, April 5, 2022. He noted that the drivers attributed their intended action to growing insecurity and attack on drivers as well as high service charges by the ride hailing companies.

“The main reason we are striking is this; the 25% [commission] from Bolt and Uber is too much. It should be slashed to 15 per cent. With an input or variable of fuel and data and then calls, at the end of the day, the driver is left with nothing”.
Francis Kweku Tenge

Touching on the security and safety of drivers, he emphasized that “most of the riders don’t use their actual names in requesting”. As such, they take advantage of their anonymity to attack the drivers.

“Moreover, we don’t know where the riders are going. Anytime there’s a request that come to the drivers, we only get to the destination… We start the trip before we know where they are going and it is unfair. How can I go and pick someone first of all that I don’t know and I’m taking the person to where I don’t know? At least, as a driver, I should be able to see where I am going, if I don’t like, then I decline”.
Francis Kweku Tenge