The Public Relations Officer of the Concerned Drivers Association, Mr. David Agboado has announced an impending 15% increase in transport fares across Ghana, slated to begin on 1st November 2024.
This decision, however, has sparked debate as it comes without the consultation of the Transport Ministry and amidst recommendations from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to delay the increment.
This 15% adjustment reflects the association’s assessment of rising operational costs for drivers and transport operators nationwide.
Mr. Agboado cited the high costs of maintaining and servicing vehicles as the primary reason for the fare hike.
He explained that prices of vehicle parts, servicing, and even basic vehicle supplies have drastically increased over the last year.
“The cost of running transport now is very, high…. When you go to Liberty Camp, it’s 110%. Spare parts are over 200 plus percent. Stationery and printing are 30%, the cost of cars is over 1000%, and even fuel, the lowest among is 8%.”
Mr. David Agboado Public Relations Officer, Concerned Drivers Association
These mounting expenses, he argued, leave drivers and vehicle owners with little choice but to adjust fares accordingly. He emphasized; “If you put all these things together, things are not normal.”
Decision Without Transport Ministry Consultation
When asked why the association has chosen to go forward with the increase without consulting the Transport Ministry, David responded, “It is not at any time that we need to engage the Transport Ministry.”
He went on to compare the fare adjustments to routine price increases by other sectors, particularly vehicle dealers and traders in markets.
“When you go the other time to buy that plate of cars for your work [and] if the next time the price is not the same, do you ask them to consult the Minister of Trade before increasing it?”
Mr. David Agboado Public Relations Officer, Concerned Drivers Association
David framed the decision as a straightforward matter of economics for the association.
“We are buying and selling. We are also doing buy and sell. So we cannot buy the goods at the exhorbitant prices and then come and give it out as charity, No.”
Mr. David Agboado Public Relations Officer, Concerned Drivers Association
By his account, the Concerned Drivers Association sees the fare hike as a necessary adjustment that reflects market reality and one that they are compelled to implement to sustain their livelihoods.
Opposition from the GPRTU and Divergent Perspectives
Although the association has decided to move forward with the fare hike, the GPRTU, Ghana’s largest driver union, has expressed concerns about the timing of the increase.
According to David, while the GPRTU has not opposed the fare increase outright, it has advised a delay, suggesting that the timing may not be optimal given economic conditions in Ghana. He noted; “They didn’t confirm totally, they are advising us that we should wait for a while.”
Mr. Agboado however, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to the November 1 implementation date, citing the urgent need for drivers to recover the rising costs of vehicle upkeep.
“If we wait for another month or a week, it will be too late. Things are not normal, and we are in an election year too. We don’t want to jeopardize the question.”
Mr. David Agboado Public Relations Officer, Concerned Drivers Association
15 Associations Stand Together for the Fare Increment
Despite the lack of full endorsement from the GPRTU, David claimed that other driver unions have shown support for the increase. He confirmed that 15 other associations are prepared to go ahead with the adjustment. When asked to clarify which associations make up the Concerned Drivers Association. He noted “We all of us are assisting. When you take GPRTU from it, there are 15 members.”
With GPRTU’s stance, he explained that while GPRTU’s timing concerns are acknowledged, they do not bind the association’s actions.
He also emphasized that the GPRTU is often in agreement once increments take effect, suggesting that the GPRTU may come on board after the implementation. He noted; “It has been a normal routine thing with them. So, we know that for the auto policy.”
Impact Across All Forms of Transport
Mr. Agboado confirmed that the fare increment will apply to all forms of transport, from city buses to long-distance and cargo vehicles. “It will affect all transportation: trotro, intercity, long distance, cargo, name it.’’
This wide-reaching impact is likely to affect all sectors of Ghana’s transport infrastructure, further underscoring the association’s rationale that all drivers need financial relief amid rising operational costs.
Response to Consumer Concerns
Asked if the association believed this decision was fair to consumers, David insisted that the fare hike was justified. “It’s fair for all of us,” he stated, contending that drivers’ own increased costs require a corresponding adjustment in fares.
While some consumers may find the increase burdensome, he argued that the association cannot maintain the existing fare levels given the dramatic increase in vehicle costs.
The Concerned Drivers Association’s decision to implement a 15% fare increase on November 1 is intended to offset the rising costs faced by drivers and transport operators across Ghana.
Although this decision is made without consultation with the Transport Ministry and diverges from the GPRTU’s recommended approach, Mr. Agboado believes the increase is both necessary and fair under the circumstances.
The association’s move signals a broader trend of rising costs across multiple sectors in Ghana, likely to affect consumers and businesses alike as economic pressures continue to mount.
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