The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has maintained its demand for a minimum 25% increase in transport fares ahead of a final meeting with the government.
The union says the proposed adjustment must reflect the rising cost of running commercial vehicles, including fuel, spare parts, insurance, lubricants and fees charged by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
GPRTU Deputy Public Relations Officer, Samuel Amoah, disclosed that the union rejected a proposal from the Ministry of Transport for a fare increase ranging between 10% and 15% during their previous meeting.
He said the GPRTU had made it clear that it would not accept an adjustment below 25%, although the union’s initial expectation was for a 30% increase.
“Our expectation is strong on the 30% increment. Our last meeting that we had last Friday, we made the ministry understand that we are not looking at anything less than 25%,” he said in an interview on JoyNews.
Mr Amoah said the union’s position had been informed by increases in several operating costs faced by commercial transport operators.
He cited higher insurance premiums as one of the areas putting additional pressure on drivers, noting that premiums for different categories of commercial vehicles had increased significantly.
According to him, insurance for a 15-seater vehicle has risen from GH¢837 to GH¢994 annually, while premiums for a 23-passenger Sprinter have increased from GH¢930 to GH¢1,194.
Taxi operators, he added, are also paying more, with insurance premiums rising from about GH¢701 to GH¢744.
Mr Amoah further pointed to increases in DVLA charges introduced in April, as well as the continued high cost of spare parts used by commercial vehicle operators.
He said claims of reductions in spare-parts prices had not translated into lower costs for the vehicles commonly operated by GPRTU members, including Sprinter, Toyota and Nissan buses.
The union has presented these concerns to the Ministry of Transport as negotiations continue over the appropriate fare adjustment.
Mr Amoah expressed hope that the final engagement with the government would produce an agreement acceptable to both sides.
“We believe today hopefully a final decision will be taken, because our drivers are waiting to hear something from the leadership,” he said.
“I strongly believe that by the close of today it will be a win-win situation, and we will not step back without getting any percentage for our drivers.”
The final meeting is expected to determine the percentage adjustment to be applied to transport fares following the disagreement over the government’s earlier 10% to 15% proposal and the GPRTU’s demand for at least 25%.
