Tepa (Ash), Dec. 22, GNA - The Tepa branch of the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) has reduced its transport fares from Tepa to Kumasi by 20 per cent following a misunderstanding between them and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) over the use of a lorry station.

The Association has slashed transport fares for mini buses for the 88-kilometre journey from 10,000 cedis to 8,000 cedis and 6,000 cedis instead of 8,000 cedis for 23-seater buses.

The GPRTU, however, continues to charge the old government approved fares of 10,000 and 8,000 cedis respectively.

Mr John Dorsu, chairman of PROTOA, told newsmen that on Friday, December 16, the executives of both transport unions were summoned to a meeting by the Ahafo-Ano North District Security Council (DISEC) chaired by the District Chief Executive, Nana Eric Agyemang Prempeh. He said at the meeting, they were told that a new post office was to be built at the station where PROTOA was operating and so directed its members to move to join the GPRTU at the lorry station in front of the Tepa Market as from Tuesday, December 20.

As a follow-up, he said the Association received a letter signed by the DCE and addressed to the two bodies instructing the PROTOA drivers to removed their kiosk from the old station to join their counterparts on Tuesday morning but this nearly resulted in an unpleasant situation as the GPRTU drivers refused to co-operate, hence their decision to reduce the fares.

Nana Twumasi Aben, vice-chairman of the GPRTU, confirmed the PROTOA chairman's story but said initially the Union was unhappy about the place the PROTOA drivers had placed their kiosk at the station, which was very closed to that of the GPRTU and this obstructed their operation.

Following the intervention of the District Police Commander, Superintendent Ampofo Duku, the situation was brought under control and the two transport unions were operating harmoniously at the same lorry station but each one charged different fares. Meanwhile, the GPRTU continues to charge the old government approved rate of 10,000 and 8,000 cedis for mini and 23-seater buses respectively. 22 Dec. 05