A task force of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) arrested 27 commercial bus drivers and conductors at various locations in Accra over the last two days, Wednesday, for charging unauthorised transport fares.

The arrests were made during an enforcement operation aimed at curbing unapproved fares, particularly following recent transport disruptions, which have triggered complaints from commuters.

The operation covered major terminals and transport routes, including Pokuase, Odorkor, Ablekuma, and Kingsway.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the National Guard Commander of the GPRTU, Drumond Ekow Gaisie, said 26 drivers and conductors were arrested in the morning and handed over to the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service for further investigation.

He said two of the drivers were subsequently discharged after their offences were considered “very lenient,” while the remaining 21 were still in police custody.

Mr Gaisie explained that the arrests were carried out under L.I. 2180, which mandates every professional driver to belong to a recognised transport union.

According to him, many of the arrested drivers were “floating drivers” who did not belong to any recognised transport association and therefore operated outside established regulatory controls.

He said officers conducted spot checks by boarding commercial vehicles in plain clothes to verify compliance with approved fares and immediately arrested drivers and conductors who insisted on charging unlawful fares.

“The operation was necessary because some drivers had been charging passengers above approved fares after the recent transport disruptions,” he said.

Mr Gaisie said the operation had restored order and compelled drivers to follow the approved fare schedule.

He added that he personally boarded a vehicle without wearing his uniform to test the situation and confirmed that drivers were charging the correct fares.

“I joined the vehicle myself while I was not in uniform, and I could see that the uniform presence is also scaring them back,” he said.

He described the practice of overcharging as widespread but said the day’s operation had sent a strong message to drivers.

“What happened this morning has shaken some areas.

I believe the drivers know what they are doing, and when they hear that we are working, they become cautious,” he added.

More operations planned

Mr Gaisie said monitoring continued into the evening, with further operations planned for the following days to sustain compliance.

He said enforcement teams would target additional locations in the morning and later move to other transport corridors in the evening.

“We are planning to hit another place in the morning, and in the evening, we will hit another area.

We do not want to disclose specific locations, but areas around Circle and Lapaz will be monitored,” he said.

He added that officers would intensify undercover operations to ensure that drivers maintained discipline even in the absence of uniformed personnel.

Mr Gaisie said the GPRTU would continue to collaborate with the police to prosecute offenders and stabilise public transport operations across Accra.

Concerns

Some passengers waiting for commercial vehicles at various stations expressed concern about long waiting times, overcrowding, and alleged fare exploitation.

Deshaun Nelson, who was waiting to board a vehicle to Oyibi, said he had spent over an hour in the queue without getting a vehicle.

He recalled past experiences in public transport vehicles, popularly known as Aayalolo, where overcrowding created dangerous conditions.

“People collapsed due to suffocation, while others became nauseous and vomited because of poor ventilation and overcrowding,” he said.

Another passenger lamented that drivers usually charged approved fares at stations when GPRTU officials were present but increased fares mid-journey, leaving passengers with little choice.