The Deputy Transport Minister, Joyce Mogtari says her outfit is yet to meet with the leadership of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) on a possible adjustment of transport fares.
But she said her outfit will insist that transport fares be maintained.
[contextly_sidebar id=”ctHu0odq6HfL7UJSECA9x08qO3Py5oLa”]This is despite a 9% increment on petroleum products, which takes effect from Sunday, May 17, 2015.
The NPA had earlier reduced prices of petroleum products by 10%, but transport operators refused to reduce their fares despite the GPRTU’s directive.
A convention signed between government and transport operators allows the latter to increase fares only when petroleum products are increased by 5% and above.
However in an interview with Citi News, Joyce Mogtari believes that it would be prudent for transport fares to be maintained, despite the fuel price increases.
“If my memories serve me right, at the time (when fuel prices were reduced by 10%) some reduced their fares and others didn’t and that is the challenge with these things. But I’m sure that following that recent experience, we should be able to come to an agreement that for the time being, fares that are being charged are reasonable and that the logical thing would be to maintain them.”
The Deputy Transport Minister appealed for calm from the general public, adding that government would be hoping to impress upon the GPRTU to maintain fares, or to ensure that any increase would not be beyond the 9% increase in fuel prices.
“For the time being I will just appeal for calm, as government is working very hard to ensure that we do not disrupt people’s activities as they move from one place to the other and so we are hoping that we will be able to impress upon them to maintain the fares at the barest minimum and if there should be some increments, it would not be beyond the 9% increase in the prices of petroleum products.”
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By: Christopher Opoku/citifonline.com/Ghana