Wa, Feb 19 GNA - The timely intervention of Mr. Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister prevented the Regional Executive of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union [GPRTU] from increasing various lorry fares above the stipulated 30 percent directed by the government.

Soon after the announcement of new prices for fuel, the regional executive decided to raise their fares above the 30 percent because they claimed they were much hit because of the distance from Accra in terms of purchasing of spare parts and also because of the poor road network leading to the regional capital.

Based on that, the Regional Minister summoned a meeting on Saturday and explained to them that it was a government policy and pleaded with them to comply before demanding better services.

He said the government was doing everything possible to ensure that the protracted problem of the Bole-Bamboi was resolved to ease travelling from the northern sector to the south.

"We all know that the contractor working on the road is doing his best but we do not have enough of them in the region and he has to work on a whole lot of projects hence the delay".

Mr. Dery explained to them that the government spent a total of about 200 million dollars on subsidies on petroleum products only last year, adding that the deregulation programme would relieve the government of financial burdens, which could be used to finance other development projects in the country.

He promised to work closely with members of the GPRTU as they were the main transport company reaching out to a lot of rural people in the region.

Mr.Mohammud Iddrisu, regional chairman of GPRTU commended the Regional Minister for his intervention adding that, that was the first time a Regional Minister consulted them on how fares were increased and pledged to collaborate effectively with him in all their future transactions.

He said Wa-Kumasi, which used to be 35,000 cedis would now be 45,500 cedis in accordance with the 30 percent increase while others would also be computed appropriately.