Commercial transport operators have begun the increment of transport fares by 19%, Checks by GhanaWeb Business indicate. This defies the earlier report by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) that transport fares will increase effective October 29, 2022. Commuters were left surprised and 'angry' on the morning of October 27, 2022, as operators had already begun charging new fares. "The prices were supposed to go up on Saturday, why are they doing it now? We are our own enemies in this country. Everybody wants to cheat somebody," an angry passenger told GhanaWeb. However, operators say, the increase in the cost of fuel has been the reason for the increase. Speaking on Accra-based JoyNews on October 26, the GPRTU General Secretary, Godfred Abulbire, said the 19 percent increment comes after members held extensive engagements with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and other transport operators across the country. “What we should have been asking adequately should have been around 49 percent. But looking at the economic situation, we had to come down to 25 percent and then even scale down to 20 percent and then yesterday 16 and half percent [from the transport minister]," he stated. “After listening to the President, he said all that we are demanding were facts and indicated that there is nothing there that he is not aware of. But looking at the situation, the moment fares go up, it [affects] a lot of things,” Godfred Abulbire added. He continued, “And so, as a father, the President was asking us to reconsider our decision and see if we could take the 16 percent offered by the Minister. But we said that was actually a problem… So, we all agreed that we will take off 1 percent and accept 19 percent and that is how the meeting concluded”. Godfred Abulbire said an official statement will be issued on October 26, announcing the fare increment, which will take effect on Saturday, October 29, 2022. Watch the latest episode of BizTech below: SSD/FNOQ