The Ministry of Transport has issued a directive to the officers of the Ghana Police Service to clamp down on any commercial driver who has decided to charge new transport fares other than the existing fares.

According to the Transport Ministry, the commercial drivers’ decision to increase their fares is going to put Ghanaians in further distress, thus calling on the security agencies to act swiftly to avert any anomalies.

This information was contained in a press release dated Sunday, April 14, 2024, signed by the Ministry’s Public Relations Unit in Accra.

The Ministry of Transport added that negotiations for new public transport fares are still ongoing with the road transport operators following the recent increase in fuel prices and other related operational costs.

It, therefore, wants the commercial drivers to continue charging existing public transport fares as directed by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of TUC and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC).

The excerpts of the statement read, “The Ministry is urging the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to be on the lookout for any driver who goes contrary to the directive issued by the GPRTU and the GRTCC.”

It is recalled that the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), together with the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC), issued a joint statement in Accra on Thursday, April 11, 2024, urging commuters not to pay any additional fares outside the existing fares agreed upon by the various stakeholders.

“We are currently engaging stakeholders to consider the various cost components and agree on the way forward. As has been the practice, the leadership met with the Ministry of Transport on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, to present our demands. Once consensus is reached, the general public will be duly informed,” the statement indicated.