Samuel Amoah, the Deputy Industrial and Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), has revealed that their task force will be hitting the streets to sanction drivers engaging in unlawful practices.
According to the GPRTU, they plan to work with the Police in arresting and imposing sanctions on drivers engaging in fare violations.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Wednesday, January 14, Samuel Amoah stated, “We had a meeting today. We will be hitting the streets with our task force to ensure that if our vehicles are found engaging in such practices, we will cause their arrest and impose sanctions. We will be meeting the Transport Minister hopefully by Friday.
“We will be organising our union guards and request from the Minister to allow the police to come in. The MMDCEs will also come in. We will be standing at some vantage areas where we think most of these floating drivers park. It is there that we will find out those that are doing that. Those that are with the GPRTU, we will sanction them; those that are not, there are laws,” he said.
Additionally, Abass Imoro, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), has told passengers to resist paying fares above the approved rates.
The GPRTU PRO highlighted that any unofficial increase by drivers is illegal and punishable under the law.
He stressed that both operators and passengers must strictly adhere to fare regulations.
Also, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communication, has alleged that there is a deliberate attempt by some operators to create artificial scarcity of vehicles to charge passengers high prices.
Meanwhile, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) during the festive season arrested six commercial drivers for charging unapproved transport fares.
The AMA boss personally led a task force to crack down on operators charging unapproved fares.
He stressed that the first day of the enforcement operation was intended to serve as a firm warning before stricter monitoring and sanctions.
Allotey and his team, during the exercise, walked through heavy traffic, stopping trotros and other commercial vehicles to question drivers about their fares.
Speaking to the media during the operation, the AMA boss stated, “The city cannot allow a situation where commuters are exploited through arbitrary fare hikes, particularly during peak periods.
Sustained enforcement is necessary to ensure fairness in public transport pricing, maintain order at lorry stations and along key corridors, and deter drivers who take advantage of traffic and high demand to charge beyond approved fares.”
He noted that passenger verification would remain a key part of the strategy to monitor compliance.