The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Abass Imoro, has cautioned commercial drivers who are charging unauthorized fares ahead of the Christmas season. He emphasized that transport fares remain unchanged and are still operating under the previously announced 15% reduction. Any driver who demands more than the approved fare, he warned, will face sanctions, as the country operates under laws that must be respected.
Imoro disclosed that the union has received multiple complaints about drivers taking advantage of passengers—particularly during early morning rush hours and in the evenings when commuters are eager to get home. He questioned how students, whose transportation budgets are carefully planned by their parents, can cope with such arbitrary increases.
He described the act as an attempt to make “ill-gotten money,” noting that while not all drivers are involved, the practice is unacceptable and must be condemned in its entirety.
Imoro called on the Accra Mayor and other metropolitan, municipal, and district chief executives to step in by deploying task forces to monitor transport operations. According to him, such interventions will yield positive results for commuters.
He further highlighted that Regulation 121 of L.I. 2180 does not permit “floating drivers”—those who do not belong to any recognized transport organization—to operate, yet many continue to do so. He stressed that a significant number of the offenders are from this category.
Imoro urged drivers engaging in these illegal practices to desist immediately before the law catches up with them.
Story: Nyamebeye Kofi Ansah Sasraku