News · Michael Teye Amartey

GPRTU insists on 25% transport fare hike ahead of final talks with government.

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union, GPRTU has maintained that it will not accept a transport fare increase of less than 25 percent as it prepares for a final meeting with government. 

GPRTU Deputy Public Relations Officer, Samuel Amoah, said the union rejected a proposal from the Ministry of Transport for an increase of between 10 percent and 15 percent during their last meeting and that their expectation is strong on the 30 percent increment. 

According to Mr. Amoah, the union’s demand is based on the rising cost of fuel, spare parts, insurance premiums, DVLA charges, lubricants and engine oil.

He said the GPRTU had also taken into account the increase in insurance premiums for commercial vehicles. 

He noted that for a 15-seater, they were paying eight hundred and 37 Ghana cedis yearly but they are now paying nine hundred and 94 Ghana cedis. 

Likewise, a Sprinter, 23 passengers, were paying nine hundred and 30 Ghana cedis and now they are paying one thousand, one hundred and 94 Ghana cedis.

He said that taxi operators who previously paid about seven hundred and one Ghana cedis for insurance now pay about seven hundred and 44 Ghana cedis. 

Mr. Amoah said DVLA charges were also increased in April, further adding to the cost of operating commercial vehicles. 

On spare parts, he said prices for the parts commonly used by commercial operators had not seen the reductions announced by some suppliers. 

He explained that the GPRTU uses vehicles such as Sprinter, Toyota and Nissan buses, whose spare parts remain expensive. 

Mr. Amoah said the union had explained these concerns to the ministry and is hopeful that the final meeting will result in an agreement.