The 15 percent increment in transport fares announced by the Road Transport Operators (RTO) is expected to take effect from today [Thursday], April 06, 2017 despite a huge public backlash agains
The RTO in a statement co-signed by the National Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Kwame Kuma and the acting General Secretary of the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC), Andrew Kwesi Kwakye and released on Monday, April 3, announced the increments urging the members, commuters and the general public to "kindly co-operate to ensure the successful implementation of the new fares".
The increment, which the statement said, affects Intracity (Trotro), Intercity (Long Distance) and Taxi Cabs, the has caused some public outcry as some are questioning why transport fares should be increased at a time fuel prices had been cut down.
A Deputy Minister of Finance, Kwaku Kwarteng who is also wondering why the transport fares have been increased when government had removed taxes on petroleum to make fuel less expensive hinted of government's intention to meet the RTO over the hikes.Â
"We should involve the owners of these transport owners and ask them why they are doing this. I think the view that government itself ought to be engaging with these transport owners and to discuss these matters because the point of the petroleum tax reduction was to make fuel less costly fo businesses", Mr Kwarteng he stated.
But the RTO seem not to be perturbed with the GPRTU National Chairman pointing out that, it was not only the price of fuel that was used to make the decision on the increment. explained that they took into account a lot of factors before the arrived at the decision.
According to him, they took into account lot of factors before they arrived at the decision which he describes as a good deal.
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"It is not only fuel that is needed to run a vehicle. There are many things to buy to get a vehicle running", he explained.
He, therefore, stated everything had been put in place for them to go ahead and charge the new fares starting today as scheduled.
"We have already sent circulars to the regions, they will send it to the branches and the locals so everybody knows the 15 percent is going to start", National Chairman of GPRTU, Kwame Kuma stated in an interview on Joy News on Thursday..Â