Disregard 20 % increase in fares …Transport Ministry alerts public

The Ministry of Trans­port has asked the public to disregard a 20 per cent nationwide increase in fares announced by commercial and private transport operators.

A statement issued by the Ministry’s Public Affairs Unit in Accra, yesterday, said there had not been any negotiation with transport operators for adjust­ment of current fares.

“When it becomes neces­sary for such negotiations and decisions are taken, the general public will be appropriately in­formed, as it has been done in the past,” it said.

The statement said the minis­try would continue to ensure fair and reasonable public transport fares, keeping in mind the needs of transport operators and the general public.

The ministry’s statement is a response to an announcement by Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) that the decision to increase the fares was taken at a national management meeting held on Tuesday.

According to the union, the new fares to take effect on Wednesday had become necessary as a result of excessive taxes on spare parts adversely affecting our operations due to hike in its prices.

Meanwhile the Deputy Minister of Transport, Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana has announced that he would engage transport operators to discuss a proposed increase in fares.

He explained that the process of discussing fare increases was part of a standing arrangement between the government and transport operators and during these discussions, all factors that could lead to an increase in fares were considered, including the impact it would have on the cost of lorry fares.

“Normally, you would bring all these things and we also look at them realistically. Is Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) actually charging any new rate? As far as we know, no. Have the taxes kicked in? As far as we are concerned, the taxes have not kicked in,” he told Joynews yesterday.

“It is even possible that all of these things put together will bring up the fare more than 20 per cent. Is it likely that it would come down below 20 per cent? Let’s have a conversation. This is not difficult,” he said.

However, the General Sec­retary of the GPRTU, Godfred Abulbire clarified that the union had previously submitted a peti­tion to Parliament in November of last year.

“We didn’t talk about the other taxes on the other one but these two components we heard. We were even to get it on the website and we printed it out before we submitted the petition but the minister is saying that, we should have as usual peti­tioned to the parliament through them.”

BY TIMES REPORTER

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