The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has served notice of its intent to clamp down on drivers who exploit passengers with unreasonable fare hikes.
According to the Union’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Abbas Ibrahim Moro, the move is part of a broader agenda to sanitize the transport sector and improve road safety.
“If we are through with this, we will face drivers who charge exorbitantly and make sure we fade them out of the system,” he stated during an interview on ABC News GH on Thursday. He added that drivers who load short distances excessively “need education” to operate fairly.
Speaking ahead of a planned nationwide strike scheduled for Monday, Alhaji Moro said the action is to highlight road safety concerns, not just for commercial drivers but for the general public.
“It’s a wrong signal on our roads. We are not only doing it for commercial drivers; we are doing it for the safety of all,” he emphasized.
The GPRTU is demanding stricter enforcement of traffic regulations and removal of roadside traders and hawkers who, they argue, create hazardous driving conditions.
He clarified that the union is not against hawking per se, but called for adherence to existing laws which already prescribe penalties for unsafe roadside activities.
On the issue of fuel price reductions and their impact on transport fares, Alhaji Moro explained that fare adjustments are not automatic.
“When it comes to a point where we have to reduce it, we will do it,” he said, noting that decisions are always communicated transparently.
“We’ve lived nicely all these years… Let us all have a breathing space so we live in a nice environment,” he concluded, urging both passengers and authorities to appreciate the broader challenges facing the transport sector.
The duration of the strike, he said, will depend on how authorities respond to the union’s demands.
