The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has distanced itself from a recent announcement by the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) regarding a 20% rise in public transport fares, scheduled to begin Friday, August 8, 2025.
During an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Tuesday, August 5, GPRTU’s Public Relations Officer, Samuel Amoah, expressed surprise at the decision, emphasizing that the union was neither engaged nor notified beforehand.
“Yes, we’ve seen the release from GRTCC talking about the increasing transport fares by 20% this Friday. When we saw the communique, we were a bit surprised, because we have no idea about this very increment,” Mr. Amoah said.
He explained that fare changes are traditionally made through joint discussions involving the GPRTU, GRTCC, and the Ministry of Transport, resulting in a unified public statement.
“What we normally do is that anytime there has to be an increment, the GPRTU, the GRTCC and the Transport Ministry will all come up with a joint statement. This has been the norm and what we’ve been practicing for all this while. So this time around, when we saw this communique, we were a bit surprised,” he added.
When asked if any prior meetings had occurred, Amoah replied:
“It’s very new to us. And two, we are not part of whatever agreement that they had. We were not informed, as we normally do. Nothing of that sort came to us as GPRTU”.
Despite GPRTU’s objections, the GRTCC maintains that the fare increase is warranted. In a statement signed by Emmanuel Ohene-Yeboah, General Secretary, and Alhaji Tanko, Acting National Chairman, the Council said the decision was made in line with the Administrative Arrangement on Public Transport Fares and in consultation with certain transport unions.
The Council cited three main reasons for the adjustment:
- No reduction in spare parts and service costs following the 15% fare cut on May 21, 2025.
- A new GH₵1.00 per litre fuel levy, which has raised fuel prices by about 8%, increasing operational expenses.
- Poor road conditions nationwide, which have driven up vehicle maintenance costs.
The GPRTU’s disapproval has sparked fresh concerns about the transparency and inclusiveness of fare-setting procedures. The union’s absence from the decision-making process has raised questions about whether the GRTCC’s consultations were broadly representative.
Adding to the controversy, the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has also opposed the fare hike. COPEC’s Executive Secretary, Duncan Amoah, argued that the increase is unjustified, especially given recent declines in fuel prices at the pump.
“Our checks with the various transport unions, including the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and other driver associations, indicate no such decision has been made,” Amoah stated
SOURCE: MyJoyonline
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