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The Ministry of Transport has urged the public to disregard the reported increase in transport charges by commercial transport operators throughout the country. This statement comes in response to the operators’ announcement of a 30% fare hike, set to take effect on Monday, January 22.

The transport operators defended their decision, citing significant increases in the costs of lubricants, spare parts, and DVLA servicing fees.

They emphasized that the proposed fare increase aims to address the financial challenges faced by drivers and ensure the sustainability of the public transportation industry in Ghana.

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Contrary to this, the Ministry of Transport released a statement on January 17, 2024, asserting that the reported increase should be ignored as no agreement had been reached between the government and the commercial transport operators. The statement emphasized that there had been no engagement with transport operators regarding a reassessment of transport pricing.

“We would want to tell the general public that there has been no engagement with transport operators regarding a reassessment of transport pricing. We thus urge the general public to dismiss the alleged rise,” portions of the statement read.

The Ministry clarified that any decision to adjust transport fares would be communicated to the public through appropriate channels. It emphasized its commitment to informing the public when negotiations and decisions related to fare adjustments take place.

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In the midst of this, Godfred Abulbire, General Secretary of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), announced the suspension of the decision to raise transport charges pending a meeting with the Ministry of Transport. Despite the Ministry’s call for the public to reject the proposed hike, discussions between the government and transport providers are expected to take place, with further decisions to be communicated to the public as necessary.