The Private Transport Operators and Greater Accra Taxi Drivers Association have announced an increment in short-distance transport fares within Accra.
According to the transport operators, the increment has been necessitated by the high costs of fuel and spare parts.
“The constraint for not increasing the short distance fares is making us run at a loss.”
They noted that despite the several increments of fares, they have stuck to the old fare because they were afraid of losing passengers and burdening them with cost.
“We are informing the general public that, short-distance trips within Accra have been increased to GH10,” the two transport operators said in a statement co-signed by their Chairman, Badu Anthsonn, and Secretary, Hayford Ayensu.
They, therefore, urged commuters to come to terms with the new fares.
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and other transport operators across the country increased their transport fares about a month ago.
The move, according to the unions, was necessitated by the continuous soaring of prices of petroleum products at the various fuel pumps, coupled with soaring inflation and the current depreciation of the Cedi.
A 19% increment was agreed upon by GPRTU after an extensive discussion with President Akufo-Addo, together with other transport operators across the country.
However, some transport operators unilaterally increased the fares by 50%.
The Public Relations Officer for GPRTU, Mr. Samuel Amoah indicated that the failure of the government to stabilize the fuel prices in the country pushed them to increase the fares without seeking the consent of the government.
This uninformed increment raised much agitation between drivers and passengers.