The 10% increment in public transport fares is expected to take effect today.
The Road Transport Operators announced the increment last Tuesday to cover intra-city transportation and inter-city or long distance travels.
A statement from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council which announced the increment said the increase is “to accommodate predominantly an increase in fuel prices.”
The increases were brought on by the mid-year budget review and subsequent Parliamentary approval which saw an upward adjustment in the Road Fund Levy (RFL), the Energy Debt Recovery Levy (EDRL) and the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy (PSRL).
The increment in transport fares has often generated a lot of controversy and sometimes causes confusion between bus conductors and passengers hesitant in paying the new fares.
But the Public Relations Officer for the Transport Ministry, Gloria Holm-Graves has urged both the Transport Operators and the commuting public to cooperate on the new fixtures.
“After meaningful discussions with the transporters, it was agreed that we have a 10% increment in transport fares. The Ministry is appealing to all transporters and the general public to comply with the new directive. The transporters have provided a chart and it shows how much the 10% would be with different fares. So for instance in situations where the commuter pays GH¢1, you may have to add 10 pesewas to make it GH¢1.10,” she said.