The Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) has advised the public to reject the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and other unions' 20% fare hike.
The GRTCC stated in a statement on Monday that no one union has the authority to set the percentage increase in rates.
"We wish to state that transport fares have always been negotiated for and on behalf of all operators by the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union," the statement reads in part. "No single union or group can determine the quantum of increase except the two bodies mentioned above."
In an interview with Joy News, GRTCC General Secretary Emmanuel Ohene Yeboah termed the fee rise as unjust, noting that the GPRTU violated tradition in calculating the percentage increase in fares.
"It's unjust for them [GPRTU] to make such a choice when we've been cooperating since 2001." This approach has worked for us since 2001, and I don't see why it has to be different from our previous methods.
"I think we should have met just about three days ago to wait to meet with the Transport Minister and bring some of these matters to a close," he told Joy News. The Ghana Private Road Transport Union has also accused the government of obstructing the process of transportation pricing revision by unilaterally raising fares by 20%.
They're meant to meet with the Transport Ministry and the GRTCC to agree on the raise with the government, taking into account many considerations.
The GPRTU, on the other hand, said that its members were struggling to pay their bills and couldn't wait for government help. We had planned to meet with the ministry for the negotiation as usual, but we discovered that they kept postponing us, and it's as if we have no idea why the Ministry is avoiding the meeting.
"It's as if we're still purchasing petrol at a higher price; when we were granted the 15%, the fuel price was 7.99 cedi per liter, and it's now 11.20, and they still won't meet with us for discussions to accept the percentage that we want to increase, and drivers are protesting."
"There is a lot of pressure going from the various stations to the Executives, so we came up with the 20% and it's working," Samuel Amoah, a member of the GPRTU's communications team, told Benjamin Akakpo on Joy News' AM Show on Monday.
The GRTCC is now urging the GPRTU to reconsider its decision and return to the negotiating table, as it has planned a meeting with the Transport Minister for May 11.
"As a result, we wish to tell the operators and the general public that the Transport Minister has expressed his willingness to meet with the leadership of the GRTCC and GPRTU on Wednesday, May 11th, 2022, to begin a discussion on our proposal for a fee rise," the GRTCC stated in a statement.