The Head of Pricing, Monitoring and Research at the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) Sampson Addai says he agrees with the decision of some commercial driver unions to increase transport fares in the wake of the increase in fuel prices.

However, he holds the view that the 35 percentage increase announced by the True Drivers Union and the Concerned Drivers Association must be reduced.

“They deserve to increase transport fares but they should reduce the percentage of increment. They should sit down with the Ministry and see to the reduction of the percentage. The 35 percent increase is too much, at least 10 or 15 percent increase would have been okay. Times are so hard in Ghana now, and so the drivers should consider reducing the percentage,” Sampson Addai said in an interview with Daakyehene Ofosu Agyemang on New York-based Adinkra Radio.

His comment comes after the Ministry of Transport directed the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to arrest any commercial driver who has resorted to charging new transport fares outside the existing one, thereby, putting undue burden on commuters.

In a statement signed by its Public Relations Unit and released in Accra on Sunday, April 14, 2024, the Ministry said negotiations for new public transport fares are still ongoing with the Road Transport Operators following the recent increase in fuel prices and other related operational cost.

It, therefore, wants the commercial drivers to continue charging existing public transport fares as directed by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of TUC and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC).

Anyone who goes contrary to this directive, it added, will face the full rigors of the law.

“The Ministry is urging the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to be on the lookout for any driver who goes contrary to the directive issued by the GPRTU and the GRTCC”, the statement in part read.

But Sampson Addai disagreed with the position taken by the Transport Ministry, adding that the Ministry is not clothed with any power to issue that directive.

“The is no law that mandates the Ministry of Transport to fix transport fares or cause the arrest of drivers who decide to charge more after fuel prices have been increased. The statement from the Ministry was in bad taste. That is not how to talk to stakeholders. The Ministry has directed the Police to arrest any driver who has increased fares, what if the drivers decide that they won’t work, how will commuters move? The Transport Ministry should refrain from always recognizing only the GPRTU. Now, there are other driver unions who also have a large membership. The impact of the action by the other driver unions like the True Drivers Union and the Concerned Drivers Association has taken a toll on the public, so the Ministry of Transport should also engage them in negotiations and come to an agreed transport fares.”