The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and other transport operators have announced intentions to raise transport tariffs by 20% statewide beginning June 2, 2026.
The proposed change will have an impact on shared taxi services, intercity transportation, and intra-city trotro services nationwide.
The transport unions claim that the ongoing increase in gasoline prices and the rising expense of car maintenance, including tires, batteries, engine oil, and other necessary spare components, have made the rate hike necessary.
The operators clarified that, despite the fact that the change ought to have been made sooner, they postponed it in anticipation of a drop in fuel prices after receiving guarantees from government representatives.
Samuel Amoah, National Deputy PRO of the GPRTU, told MyJoyOnline on Saturday, 30 May, “This increment should have come long ago, but we held on because when the government came in, the promise was that prices were going to go down.”
“Looking at where prices are now, if we don’t come up with this increment, it will affect our operations. Even the drivers are complaining seriously.”
The union noted that before deciding to raise rates, a number of talks with stakeholders and government representatives had been held in an attempt to discover alternatives.
“There has been a series of indoor meetings trying to come up with solutions regarding this increment, but they kept asking us to hold on because of the promise that prices would come down,” the representative reiterated.
Before the implementation date, the GPRTU stated that revised fare schedules would be posted at transport terminals and truck parks nationwide.
It is recommended that travellers familiarise themselves with the authorised fare charts and make sure they only pay the rates that have been officially allowed.
Additionally, drivers, conductors, and station managers were advised by transport providers not to charge fares higher than those authorised.
The unions stated that in cooperation with the Ghana Police Service’s Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), monitoring teams will be stationed at significant transport ports to guarantee compliance.
“Our task force, working with Police MTTD, will monitor compliance at major stations. Anyone found overcharging will face sanctions,” the association stated.
The transport unions acknowledged that many Ghanaians were struggling financially, but they also acknowledged that the hike would put more strain on commuters.
They did, however, insist that the decision was made only after all other options had been exhausted and urged the public to cooperate and show understanding when the new fares go into force.
Source: newsthemegh.com