The Public Relations Officer of the True Drivers Union, Osei Yaw Berimah, has warned commercial drivers against charging passengers above the approved 8 percent increase in public transport fares.
The Ministry of Transport and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) have agreed to an 8 percent adjustment in public transport fares. However, reports that some commercial drivers are charging passengers beyond the approved increment have raised concerns among commuters and the general public.
Speaking on the development, Mr. Berimah described the practice as unlawful, stressing that commercial drivers are required to adhere strictly to fares approved by the relevant authorities.
He said charging passengers beyond the agreed 8 percent increase could undermine efforts by the Ministry of Transport to regulate public transport fares and create unnecessary confusion within the transport sector.
According to him, the approved adjustment provides a clear framework for fares, and drivers who charge beyond the sanctioned rates risk creating disputes between operators and commuters.
Mr. Berimah further disclosed that the True Drivers Union will engage the security services to support enforcement and ensure that commercial drivers comply with the approved fares.
He consequently appealed to drivers to desist from charging passengers above the approved rate and urged commuters to insist on paying only the officially sanctioned fares.
He also encouraged commuters who are confronted with excessive fares to raise concerns through the appropriate channels rather than accepting charges that are not part of the approved adjustment.
Mr. Berimah called on all stakeholders in the public transport sector to respect the approved fares and cooperate with enforcement efforts.
He stressed that adherence to the approved rates is necessary to maintain order, fairness and transparency within Ghana’s public transport system and to prevent unnecessary tensions between drivers and passengers.
Story by Ama Frimpomaa