GPRTU Calls For 40% Increase In Transport Fare

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) is a trading union representing commercial drivers, potters, guards and commercial vehicle owners in Ghana. They stop drivers to see if they have receipts for the day’s tax. They make sure that drivers who have not made the necessary payments face the music by paying five times the cost of the tax. The guards are paid using a percentage of taxes and fines collected.

Samuel Amoah, the Communication Director of The Ghana Private Road Transport Union, announced that there will be an increase in transport fares by 40% soon. He was asked why there have been a sudden idea to the increment of lorry fares. He responded by saying that, they cannot be blamed for such a decision because there have also been an issue of an increase in diesel prices. Hence, if both private and commercial drivers will be able to afford diesel, unless transport fares are also increased. He added that, this exercise should have happened way back in July. In fact, GPRTU know that their clients will not be happy with this increment so he pleaded with the public to co-operate with them as it is also their means of survival, he added. Moreover, he was asked the reason why they don’t include their customers in making such decisions. He made it clear to the media, Joy News to be precise, that they don’t just initiate an increase in transport fares or whatsoever but rather it goes through certain stages before it is accepted.

As a matter of fact, inflation is high as a result of the cedi to dollar ratio so they are also going through the mill in terms of transport fares. Hence an increase will benefit them but will be a disadvantage to people who board commercial vehicles such as “trotro” and taxis as they have to reduce their expenses in order to afford the transport fees.

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