The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) says members have been yearning for increment of transport fares ever since the presidential directive on coronavirus pandemic forced them to reduce the number of passengers.

According to the Union, the reduction has affected revenue of members greatly, which it said calls for an increment in transport fares.

As part of the directives to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19, government-directed commercial vehicles (trotro) to reduce the number of passengers they load.

Per the directives, 'trotros' that used to have three passengers on a row or seat were asked to take two while those meant for four reduced to three.

Coupled with the increment in fuel prices effective June 1, 2020, GPRTU National Vice Chairman, Robert Sabah told Onua TV’s “COVID-19 NKOMO” hosted jointly by Bright Kwasi Asempa and Adwoa Konadu-Yiadom that “we want the increment already because we have reduced our intake”.

He stressed, “We want to increase the transport fares already because it has affected our revenue. We cannot pay our bankers”.

Mr Sabah said transport unions, drivers and vehicle owners have lost huge revenue ever since the directives were enforced.

“It has reduced our revenue by 40-50% and that has affected us”, he claimed.